Lover I Don't Have To Love
by Krabby Patty
Summary: Sandy and Kirsten in Berkeley. They had the one night stand that never really ended.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note:** __Happy Halloween! I told everyone I wouldn't post this until I wrote about half the fic or at least two chapters because I don't want that this wouldn't be continued and I'd leave my readers hanging. I tried to fight it, I did... but it's undeniable. It wants itself posted. This is going to be my first chaptered fanfic in a long time, and I really, really hope you will enjoy this. I've already planned this out and I have quite a lot in store for you guys. So... have fun reading and let me know what you think! It starts out slow (especially these first few chapters, as I'm sort of establishing the characters), but we'll get to the smut soon enough. ;)_

_**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of_ The O.C. _characters, unfortunately. I do own Kirsten's best friend, and I realize her name is close to **Ma**rissa, but it wasn't intentional. And... I guess I somewhat own Paul, Sandy's best friend too. Character-wise, but the name is all from Josh Schwartz. Also, title and lyrics by Dashboard Confessional._

* * *

**STOLEN**

* * *

Where on earth had Larissa disappeared to? 

Behind the obviously fake smile she had plastered on her face, Kirsten Nichol looked annoyed as she said good-night to one of her best friends' buzzed party guests as he left for the night. "Thank you for coming!" She called out, accompanied with a slight roll of her cerulean eyes before she closed the door and heaved out a long, tired sigh. _Thank__ you__ for nothing, that is_.

Larissa definitely knew how to throw a party, that was for sure. Kirsten leaned back against the door as she looked around the room that was once her dormitory. They had spent all afternoon putting up streamers and blowing up balloons, making Kirsten remember the excitement she felt watching a party being set up back in Newport. Along with Larissa's contagious enthusiasm, Kirsten couldn't help but feel excited herself as well. Plus, Larissa told her that this party was different from all the other ones they've been to. For one, they were actually serving food that weren't just chips poured into bowls.

"It's not going to be one of those parties where all we do is drink shitty beer, KiKi!" Larissa had told her earlier. "Everyone's going to get dressed up and mingle with each other! It'll be like Newport all over again!" Of course, Larissa knew that the reason why Kirsten was in Berkeley of all places was to escape from Newport, but she also knew all too well that Kirsten missed the chaos sometimes, even though she would never admit it out loud.

"Where's Rissa?"

The blond spun around in her heels, and automatically put on her fake smile again. _And I thought I'd never have to do this __anymore_, she thought to herself. Oh, it was definitely Newport all over again.

Kirsten found herself fiddling with her thumbs as she struggled to answer the question herself. _Where _is_ Larissa?_ "I actually don't know where she is right now. But if you're leaving already, I'll be sure to tell her you said good-bye." The last sentence came out sounding too hopeful on Kirsten's part, and she cringed inwardly. Luckily for her, the jock merely nodded. "Yeah, whatever. I'm out." He had the decency to excuse himself before showing himself out the door, leaving Kirsten to stare at him incredulously. Who did these people think they are anyway?

Still, she resisted the urge to pull the bloke back into the room and spit in his face. These people here weren't really her crowd anyway – they were more of Larissa's friends than hers. Kirsten's best friend was the life of the party – friendly, outgoing and, more often than not, outrageous. As for Kirsten, pretty much everyone knew who she was, but not for the same reasons as Larissa was notorious for. Kirsten was considered as one of the prettiest girls on the campus, but the fact that her father practically owned Newport Beach was something that hadn't escaped the knowledge of the student body.

But unlike Larissa, Kirsten was more withdrawn and preferred not to have attention drawn to her. The roommates couldn't be more different from each other, and yet they were the best of friends anyway. Larissa was more real than any of the friends Kirsten had back in Newport. They were roommates ever since their first year in Berkeley, and they have been practically inseparable ever since.

_Ever since… except for now_. Kirsten allowed herself another eye-roll as she made her way back to the crowd to look for Larissa. Still no sight of her. The only good thing about the current situation was that at least, the party had somewhat thinned already. Her eyes flickered from the throng of people to the clock on the wall, and the time that flashed back at her made her sigh once more. Even though she could already start throwing people out, it was still going to be a long, long night.

* * *

Nearly three hours later and her cheeks hurting from too many fake smiles, Kirsten could finally throw herself on the couch without worrying about the partygoers. "Finally!" She exclaimed triumphantly, kicking her high heels from her feet and closing her eyes to enjoy the silence in the room. Larissa had never surfaced, which led Kirsten to conclude that her best friend must've sneaked off with a guy somewhere, which was typical of her. _Why didn't I see that coming?_ Larissa always had a tendency to do that, and Kirsten guessed that she wouldn't exactly make exceptions for her own party. Larissa was… well, Larissa, after all.

Fatigue was slowly starting to seep into her system, and for a moment, Kirsten felt a brief flash of anger at Larissa for leaving her with the clean-up duty. Who knows when her roommate would be back anyway? Groaning, she pushed herself off from her comfortable position on the couch and started making her way towards the kitchen in her bare feet, gathering trash along the way. Kirsten was obviously not going to let Larissa get away so easily, but she didn't want to wake up to a smelly dorm room. The least she could do at the moment was to gather the trash and stuff the leftovers in the fridge. Then she could take off the rather revealing party clothes Larissa had lent her to wear for the night, step into the bathroom for a warm shower, and sleep until tomorrow afternoon. She was already fantasizing about her plans when she heard a sudden, unfamiliar cough from the kitchen counter, causing her to drop one of the plastic cups she was holding.

Startled, Kirsten turned around. The deep cough had come from a tall guy with a mop of jet-black hair and rather distinctive bushy eyebrows. Beneath them, though, were strikingly kind blue-eyes which were looking at Kirsten with amusement. He jumped off the stool and picked up the fallen cup, before approaching her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He had a thick, unfamiliar accent, and while his voice was deep like his cough, there was something about them that was soothing. He held out the bright blue plastic cup, which she accepted with her much smaller hand. Regaining her composure, Kirsten forced another smile and walked away from this man.

"It's okay. I, uh, I thought I was, I was, you know, _alone_?" Inwardly, Kirsten chastised herself for suddenly being so tongue-tied. She distracted herself by segregating the trash, dumping all the recyclables in one bin, and the rest of them divided between the biodegradable and the non-biodegradable bins. The stranger looked rather amused at this display, unaware that girls in California like her even cared about the difference between the three.

Kirsten could hear him shuffling around the kitchen, but she busied herself with her task, not willing herself to look his way. But eventually, she had to ask him to leave. Not only did she not know who he was, but she really wanted to have that shower and crawl into her bed now.

"So," She started awkwardly, washing her hands to the tune of _Happy Birthday_ in her head (apparently, the duration of that one song was the appropriate time enough to wash ones' hands). Kirsten tilted her head to the side, capturing the attention of her guest. He smiled shyly at her, and for once, the smile that she returned back to him was a genuine one. "I guess I'll, err, show you to the door?" She offered kindly, drying her hands on some tissue paper before facing him completely. She found herself eyeing him, from his scuffed shoes, to the jeans that looked rather old but fitted him perfectly, then to the sweater he was wearing that not only brought out the color of his eyes, but emphasized a strong body beneath the fabric. Kirsten forced herself to look further upwards; startled upon realizing that he had caught her in the act and was grinning knowingly at her. She blushed and coughed distractedly, annoyed at herself for letting him see her checking him out.

Striding purposefully, Kirsten walked out of the kitchen and expected him to follow. But when she didn't hear the sound of his footsteps at all, she whirled around to face him once more. "This way?" She emphasized, gesturing to the wooden door. She gave him The Look, which clearly said she meant business. It had never failed her on several occasions before, but this man standing before her was completely unaffected. Instead, he gave her another one of his smiles again, which was only aggravating her.

"Look, what is—?"

But before Kirsten could finish her question, both of them heard a loud thumping noise from the other end of the dormitory room. She exchanged a curious look with her guest before heading into the direction where the noises were coming from. Before she could get there though, the man had grabbed her arm and was stopping her from proceeding further. "I wouldn't go there if I were you." He warned, just as a squeal pierced through the otherwise quiet environment.

"Oh, oh, OH MY GOD, Paul!" Kirsten's eyes widened. That voice sounded rather familiar to her ears. _Too_ familiar, in fact. More thuds came from the direction of the bedrooms, this time, now accompanied by loud, helpless moans.

Kirsten turned to her dark-haired companion, looking up at him with questioning eyes. She hadn't realized she had been gripping his arm all this time until now, and she let her hand fall. "Who—?" She sputtered, tugging her other arm away from his grasp.

"Come for me, baby!" A masculine grunt, unfamiliar this time, and while it wasn't a high-pitched squeal, it was still audible enough for Kirsten. The reality of the situation finally made itself clear to her, and her eyes widened again, this time in horror. Larissa's scream echoed around the small dormitory room, causing Kirsten to blush furiously. She buried her face in her palms in an effort to disguise it, then quickly thought better and covered her ears instead as moans continued to be heard from Larissa's bedroom.

She felt the stranger place a comforting arm over the small of her back, and she impulsively leaned into him. Even from this angle, she could smell his very masculine scent, some sort of a pleasant mixture of a woody fragrance and soap. "I'm sorry." He whispered softly. As the moans decreased significantly in volume, Kirsten removed her face from her hands and faced him. Her face was still flushed, but she was smiling sheepishly now. "What do you have to be sorry for? I guess... I'm not alone as I thought I was after all…" She didn't say it out loud, but she was actually thankful for this guy's presence. There was something awkward about being on your own while your best friend was having sex with some guy in the other room.

He also had the decency to look uncomfortable himself. "Actually, Paul is kind of with me. We share a dormitory together, but, uh, he has the keys. And I can't actually get in without my keys, can I? If I were rich enough, I would probably get a hotel room until he decides to emerge from that bedroom and/or goes home, but, well, I'm not. Plus, it would be incredibly rude to knock on the door and ask for keys while they're at it. It would be…"

"Awkward." They said in unison. There was a moment of silence before the both of them collapsed into giggles. All of a sudden, Kirsten didn't feel so threatened with this guy's presence anymore. They were both put in the same predicament by their friends, after all. The giggles persisted, until both of them had doubled over the kitchen counter, already breathless.

"This is rather embarrassing, isn't it?" He commented, a goofy, endearing grin on his face. Kirsten was feeling extraordinarily light-hearted after a good laugh, and following that comment, another fit of giggles was dangerously close to escaping from her lips. She tried hard to stifle it, but managed to let out a chuckle anyway.

Kirsten made her way towards the mini-bar and leaned against it, her face scrunched up into a rather adorable expression of contemplation. Despite the situation, she knew that Paul's friend couldn't stay here for the night. She could ask some of her guy friends to take him in for the night. They wouldn't mind, would they? Besides, for sure they were already friends with him anyway. The sooner she could get him to leave, the sooner she could take her bath and go to bed, and forget all those seriously disturbing noises she just heard moments ago.

She looked up and saw that he was standing awkwardly where she left him. The poor guy looked lost, obviously not knowing what he could do right now. Kirsten felt slightly regretful as she made her way over to tell him of her plans, but even before she could open her mouth to speak, the loud thuds started up again. She looked dismayed and completely horrified as Paul and Larissa worked their way towards another climax.

"Oh, my God. Not again." Kirsten wailed. What kind of vitamins were they taking anyway? Making a face, she politely excused herself from the man, telling him she would be right back. Braving the groans that had now accompanied the thuds, she rushed into her bedroom and immediately looked for her purse. For a moment, her eyes flickered to one of the picture frames nailed on her wall. It had already shifted to an odd angle, clearly caused by the thudding on the other side of the wall – Larissa's bedroom. She made yet another face, this time directed towards the frame before emerging from the room, nearly running into Paul's friend in her haste. For some odd reason, it was only then that she realized she actually didn't know his name.

"Hey, your name?"

He looked at her with those piercing blue eyes, clearly thinking she was insane for asking him that question at this particular time. "Pardon?"

"I meant, what's your name?" Kirsten tapped her foot impatiently as she rummaged through her purse, making sure that she had everything inside it while attempting to block out the moans and the groans from the other room. Forget the vitamins; she was positively sure that Larissa had slipped some Viagra into Paul's food, if the noises were anything to go by. When Kirsten was finally satisfied, she snapped her purse closed and looked up, only to see him looking down at her with another one of his bemused smiles that had somewhat gotten less annoying.

"Sandy." He answered. "My name is Sandy Cohen."

"Sandy?" This time, she was the one who looked bemused. It temporarily distracted her from the situation at hand, not to mention the noises that were escalating in volume. After all, it wasn't everyday she met a good-looking man with that name. "But that's a girl's name." Kirsten stated as she searched for her heels.

Sandy smiled knowingly. "Typical response. But it's actually short for Sanford."

"Okay, Sandy Cohen. I'm Kirsten," Just then, they heard more moans of ecstasy coming out from Larissa's bedroom, which probably meant her best friend was close. After strapping her shoes on, Kirsten immediately turned to this Sandy Cohen and spoke in a rush. "who, unfortunately, is the best friend of the girl that your friend is doing right now. I don't know about you, but I don't really want to listen to Larissa climaxing again. Once was bad enough."

He nodded sympathetically and immediately understood. Kirsten didn't want to put up with the noises anymore. He led them to the door and opened it for her. Then, he stepped back and offered his arm to her in a gallant gesture. "Let's go. I'm taking you out of here." He said roguishly, wiggling those eyebrows at her as he grinned.

"It's not a date, alright? Don't get any big ideas." Despite her blunt words, Kirsten smiled back and hooked her arm around his'.

* * *

_ Invitation only, grand farewells  
Crash the best one, of the best ones  
Clear liquor and cloudy eyed, too early to say goodnight _

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_What do you think so far? Let me know. Hit that pretty purple button, please. Reviews are sex. ;)_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note:**__ Look who updated! Thank you so much for the positive feedback, you guys! They really encouraged me to write. See, I planned to post this after a week of posting my first chapter but I couldn't resist. _

_Before you go to it though, let me just clear something up. The timeline of the show is pretty much wonky anyway, but for my own reasons, I decided that for this __fic__, Kirsten is two years younger than Sandy. He is a senior and she is a sophomore. _

_Also, I was thinking of renaming the __fanfic__. What do you think? _Stolen_ is a song by Dashboard Confessional which I think fits this __fanfic__, but, I don't know. I want to change it (?). The title I had in mind was _Just One More Kiss_. Which do you think is better? Let me know, or suggest something too. I'm so indecisive about stuff like that.  
_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Not quite the smut yet, but I promise things heat up in the following chapter. _

_**Disclaimers:**__ Characters clearly not mine, otherwise I would be adopted by Sandy and Kirsten Cohen as well._

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**STOLEN**

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In a silver cocktail dress adorned with sequins that gleamed under the lights and paired with extremely high heels, Kirsten's outfit was just right for Larissa's glamorous party. However, as she and Sandy stepped into the coffee shop, it was only then she realized how completely flashy she looked. She looked around hesitantly and observed the café's customers, all in their jeans and comfortable shoes. It made her feel awkward that everyone was staring at her. She wished she had grabbed a coat before they left.

"Sandy." Her new acquaintance looked down at her, and saw just how uneasy she looked. There was something rather adorable about her expression that made Sandy smile though. From the party earlier, he had immediately taken note of how pretty she was. However, seeing her now, not putting up a show for her best friends' party guests and looking vulnerable in this strange new place, seeing her with true emotion on her face made her all the more beautiful to him. She was captivating.

He raised his eyebrows, as if asking her what the matter was. They had barely spoken on the way here, but the silence that had lingered between the two of them was a companionable one. It was odd. Sandy was always noted for being the talkative one, and yet he couldn't find the words to say to this girl he just met.

"I'm kind of overdressed for this place." Kirsten admitted, a light blush creeping to her cheeks. Sandy briefly looked around the café and understood what she meant. Everyone wasn't exactly dressed up for a party, and even though Sandy looked dressier than usual, what he was wearing could still pass for casual.

"You look fine, Kirsten. Does that fact bother you as much?" He inquired.

Kirsten shook her head. "Well, it shouldn't. But being stared at is making me feel uncomfortable."

He nodded, taking her answer into consideration and debating with his thoughts for a moment. At this hour, there was nowhere else he could take her. The local pub was noisy and clearly not what she wanted, as evident from how she wanted to get away from her dormitory in the first place. This coffee shop, his favorite place off-campus, was the only place he could think of.

"Would you feel more comfortable if we sit in a booth?" Sandy suggested, gesturing to a booth that was next to a wall. Not much of her would be seen as opposed to sitting on the stools in the middle of the café. Kirsten followed his gaze, and, seemingly content to the idea, she nodded. It was better over nothing, and it was definitely an improvement over her dorm room at the moment. They made their way over to the dimly-lit corner, and Sandy helped Kirsten take her seat. As he did, his hand touched her forearm briefly. It startled the both of them, making them pause in their movements for a second. Kirsten had always read about these jolts of electricity in romance novels, but she never thought they actually happened. Sandy, on the other hand, was just taken-aback at the frisson between them.

Silence lingered for a moment, before Sandy and Kirsten laughed nervously. "Alright." He cleared his throat in an attempt to break the tension and straightened up, gesturing that he was going to go order their coffees. "You stay right here and I'll order for you. What do you want?"

Having gotten away from the sex-a-thon in her dormitory room and the familiar ambiance of the coffee shop was enough to set Kirsten in a better mood. She smiled brightly at Sandy and looked slightly mischievous, taking him by surprise. "Why don't you surprise me?" She suggested in a light-hearted tone, batting her eyelashes at him. Sandy grinned and decided to play along.

Kirsten watched him as he made his way to the bar. She really was thankful for his company tonight, even if she didn't know him at all. He couldn't be worse than the guys she did know, who would've left her in her dormitory despite Paul and Larissa's trysts. Admittedly, she did feel threatened with Sandy at first. She had never talked to him before, not even during the party, and when he refused to leave, she couldn't help but wonder what his intentions were exactly. Berkeley was so different from Newport, and so were the people. But the longer time she spent with him, she found that Sandy seemed like a genuinely nice guy. He was incredibly good-looking too, and there was something sexy and comforting about his voice that made her want to just close her eyes and hear him talk. For a second, Kirsten wondered if he had a girlfriend. A man like him just couldn't remain single for long. She would never admit it to him out loud, but Sandy Cohen was a catch.

She snapped out of her thoughts (which were getting lustful by the minute) upon seeing him making his way back to her, carrying a tray with two cups. Kirsten caught his eye and gave him an expectant expression. In return, Sandy winked back at her.

"So, where's mine?" She asked the moment he sat down. Sandy looked rather pleased at himself as he plucked out one of the cups and handed it to her. Kirsten took it cautiously and tried to sniff, but with the smells surrounding them, it was hard to distinguish what it was. Still, she didn't take a sip just yet, opting to ask him, "What is it?" instead.

"It's a surprise." Sandy answered mysteriously, taking his own cup from the tray and drinking from it. She shot him a look, trying to get him to answer her question truthfully, but he didn't give in. "You'll have to taste to know for yourself."

Kirsten looked frustrated, obviously not satisfied with his answer. But she let it go. _Might as well solve this mystery myself_. Maintaining eye-contact with him, she raised the Styrofoam to her lips and savored the flavor of the coffee. Her eyes widened in amazement at the taste that met her tongue. Sandy's grin grew. "Did I surprise you enough?" He asked, obviously pleased at her reaction.

"A vanilla half-caf caramel macchiato?" Kirsten was more than just surprised. She was flabbergasted – how in the world did Sandy know what was her favorite? They've never spoken to each other until tonight (well, early in the morning, as it was already _way_ past midnight), and even then, they hadn't conversed enough to know what the others' favorites were. Once her initial shock went off, a delighted look appeared on her face. "When I told you to surprise me, I didn't expect you would surprise me like this!"

She and Sandy shared a smile. "How did you know?" Kirsten asked curiously, looking serious for a second. Deep inside, Sandy was over the moon that he had managed to impress this girl, but he knew that admitting the truth would change that. Even then, he decided to answer her anyway. He looked sheepish for a second, before he spoke.

"I... well, actually, I talked to the bartender." He confessed, watching as Kirsten's blue eyes drifted momentarily to look at the guy behind the counter. "I told him I was with the prettiest girl in the whole coffee shop and that she wanted me to surprise her." Sandy was about to tell her how badly he wanted to make an impression on her, but he stopped himself at the last minute, afraid that she might think of him differently. "As it turns out, he told me you frequent this place, too, and you always order that." He gestured to her coffee cup, explaining the rest of the story wordlessly.

There was a pregnant pause between them again, and once more, Sandy was afraid that he had said the wrong thing. He watched as Kirsten looked down at her drink and nodded thoughtfully. But Kirsten was, in fact, trying to hide a smile from dancing on her lips. Despite what Sandy predicted, she was actually flattered that he even bothered to find out what drink she liked – even if it was the bartender who offered him that information.

When she finally looked up, despite her vain efforts, there was a huge grin on her face that lifted his spirits. "Wow. I don't know what to say." Kirsten admitted, unable to keep another blush from tinting her cheeks pink. She looked down shyly and distracted herself by taking another sip from her drink.

The conversation was getting awkward for words, although in a nice way that both of them didn't mind. Sandy decided to change the topic and talk about something else. "So, how long have you known Larissa?" He asked instead, fiddling with the rim of his cup. He couldn't help but notice how different Kirsten was from her best friend, if Larissa's behavior earlier had been anything to get by. But while Larissa was clearly the outgoing one, there was something about Kirsten that drew him in. To him, it seemed as if there was so much more about her, and he wanted to find out what it was.

Kirsten scratched behind her ear, a quirky habit she had developed ever since she was young. As her hand moved up to her hair, a ring sparkled under the dim lights, capturing Sandy's attention. He wondered where it came from. "Hmm. Ever since freshman year, I guess. We've been roommates from the beginning." She answered, smiling fondly at the memory.

"What year are you in now?" Sandy asked curiously, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table.

"Sophomore." It was only then that Kirsten realized Sandy must also be a student at Berkeley. She had never thought of it that way before. She couldn't think of how awkward it would be if she was actually talking to a senior. It wasn't unheard of, but Kirsten didn't belong to the crowd who mingled with the upperclassmen. She wouldn't know how to deal with it.

"You?"

"I'm a senior." The answer she had been dreading. But Sandy didn't seem to mind the difference all that much. He certainly didn't look at her differently, which was all that mattered right now. In fact, his indifference only encouraged her to ask more questions.

"Are you… what are you… after graduation…?" Kirsten asked , unable to form her question properly. He must think she sounded like an idiot by now.

Sandy was amused, but he didn't show it less he offended Kirsten. "I'm going to proceed to law school." He told her, unable to keep the pride off his tone, and that didn't escape her.

It made her smile again. "Good luck?" It was the only thing that she could think of saying, but Sandy seemed to appreciate it. He beamed and thanked her.

"What about you?" He turned the tables on her once more. "What are you taking up right now?" Sandy asked, taking another long swig from his coffee. Surprisingly, the question made Kirsten blush, leaving him to wonder what her answer was.

"I'm majoring in Art History." It sounded worlds away from law, and she couldn't help but feel shy about it. "My dad wanted me to take up business or economics, but Art is my passion." The flush on Kirsten's cheeks deepened after she blurted out the last word. _Passion_? How cheesy did that sound?

"You're taking up what you really want. That's what matters." He told her in a soft voice, and he was staring at her so intently with those piercing blue eyes that she couldn't look away. She bit her lip and nodded, wondering what made him stare at her like that.

Sandy knew from the beginning that Kirsten was very different from him. He just didn't think up to what extent that difference laid. Obviously, she wasn't on scholarship like he was for his education, and he could hear his mother's voice in his head telling him what a useless degree Art History was.

Noticing how Kirsten suddenly looked uncomfortable, Sandy shook his mother's voice from his thoughts and smiled, hoping to put her at ease. Predictably, she immediately looked relieved, reminding him of the power he had over her, status-wise. He was a senior, she was a sophomore. _I've got to be careful with her._

"Does Larissa always… do her parties always end up like this?" Sandy asked, changing the topic again. He and Kirsten chuckled together, remembering the events that led them here in the first place. She sighed dryly and stared at the creamy swirls inside her cup.

"Not _always_. For the most part, she always ends up going where the party takes her." She paused to contemplate her next words. "I just thought that, when I couldn't find her anywhere tonight, she wasn't inside the dormitory with some guy. I mean, your friend Paul." She corrected herself immediately. "Having… doing… _stuff_ with him." Kirsten finished uncomfortably, realizing how she couldn't just openly talk about it now that she and Sandy were in a public place.

"How long have you known Paul?" She asked further, echoing his similar question about Larissa earlier. Not knowing who he was until tonight, Kirsten concluded that her friend had just hooked up with this Paul at the party. She had to admit it got her a little curious about him and what he was like. Hopefully he wasn't like any of the guys Larissa hooked up with on a regular basis. Kirsten wrinkled her button nose at the thought.

"We grew up together in New York." Sandy responded, clasping his hands together absentmindedly. "He moved here to Berkeley when I was six, and I only saw him again when I got here." Like Kirsten's earlier reminiscence, he smiled fondly at the memory too. "It's like we never stopped being friends all those years we didn't see each other."

"He's a nice guy, isn't he?" Kirsten couldn't help but question. She immediately regretted asking, and rushed to justify herself. "I'm just thinking of my friend." She added hastily, hoping he wasn't offended by her question. Sandy just smiled at that, honestly not knowing what to answer her. Paul was an all-around nice guy, but he was also twenty-two, and that said a lot.

"You're a good friend to Larissa, you know that?" He told her instead, cocking his head to the side.

"Thanks. I don't think she's going to agree with that after I talk to her tomorrow, though."

Sandy raised his massive eyebrows. "Why? What are you going to say to her?"

"I don't know about you." She admitted. "But I really didn't appreciate how she put me in such a position. Not just leaving me to deal with all these people I don't know, but can you imagine what it would be like if they got noisy and there were still people around?"

He nodded thoughtfully. Things like these happening at a college party weren't unheard of, but he could see where she was coming from. After all, he was also in the same jam that Larissa had left her in. "Well, it's college, Kirsten. But, you know, if that had happened, I think it would be interesting." Sandy's piercing blue eyes sparkled as he grinned at her.

Kirsten looked at him questioningly. "What do you mean?"

"I just mean that everyone could've used some loosening up. Your party was too stiff for college students." He said truthfully.

"I see." Kirsten nodded. "But that was kind of the point of the party, actually. Larissa wanted this one to be different than all of the other college parties we've been to. Start off Thanksgiving with a blast." A small smirk appeared on her painted lips. "I guess she succeeded in that, but only you and I were the only ones who stuck around for it."

Sandy laughed for a moment, before he found himself staring once more into those beautiful, sapphire eyes. "It's definitely a party I wouldn't be forgetting in a long time."

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_Reviews are still sex, if you're wondering. Hint, hint._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note:**__ Okay, I'll be honest here. I'm not pleased with the way this chapter came out, and it's really frustrating because I had it all pictured in my head. Somehow, it just did not translate well in words despite several re-writes. That's what I think. So, I hope you guys will be nice about this chapter, because it's kind of a sore point for me. All I hope is that I pulled it off well, and that you somewhat understand the dialogue and the characterizations of Sandy and Kirsten. If not, well, I hope you'll still come back to read the fourth chapter! It's already done, I'm happy about it, and I'm excited to hear what you guys think of it. But that will have to wait. One chapter at a time and all, so chapter three for now. ;) _

_PS - How do you like the style of my chapter titles? Very _Private Practice_, but I like it! _

_**Disclaimer:**__ Let's see. Hmm. No. Still don't own _The O.C._ How unfortunate. But, hey, on the brighter side, it's almost my birthday!_

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**STOLEN**

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Nearly an hour had passed since Sandy and Kirsten had stepped into the delightfully comforting coffee shop. Both were already on their second cups of coffee, and still, the conversation was in full swing. It wasn't more of the getting-to-know-each-other kind of talk – both were still rather shy despite the confidence growing with each word. All Sandy knew was that Kirsten was from Newport Beach, a world away from New York City, and all Kirsten knew was that Sandy had left New York City to pursue his studies here in Berkeley. They found they had common ground in how their move to Berkeley had disappointed their parents, but they didn't talk extensively about it. 

Surprisingly, the topic about the party earlier was not something they couldn't stop talking about. Despite the lapsed time, it kept on coming up in their banter, and they continued to laugh about what happened.

"You know, you might think I'm crazy, but I wouldn't trade this night for anything." Sandy admitted shyly, knowing that she would catch on to what he really meant. "I'm really having a great time with you." He had to be careful with his words. He was on the verge of telling her how he was interested in _really_ getting to know her and how he wanted to see her again, but he didn't want to scare her away.

"I know. Me too, Sandy. Me too." She felt her breath hitching, and for a moment, she couldn't meet his gaze. Eventually, Kirsten looked up and gave him one of her smiles. There was that comfortable silence between the two of them again, something which neither could really explain. It wasn't awkward, but it felt like that jolt of electricity they had experienced earlier.

"I still really wonder what it would've been like if the party was still in full swing when Paul and Larissa got around to… you know." Kirsten laughed for what seemed like the millionth time that night, and Sandy joined along with her. She was so adorable, and her laugh was so contagious he couldn't help himself. "I'm sorry I keep bringing it up, but I can't get it off my head."

He decided to humor her. "I understand. It's very embarrassing on your part, and we both know I know that all too well myself." Sandy paused, making sure she was able to follow him. Lord knew he had a tendency to ramble too fast. "But like I told you, it happens. A few more semesters of this, and you'll get used to it."

"I know… it's just…"

"Out of curiosity." He cut her off. "Out of curiosity, what would you have done if I wasn't around?" Sandy wondered with a slight smile. He knew he was treading on dangerous waters, but Kirsten interpreted it differently. She thought there was something a little daring about his question.

"I guess I'd have gone into my room if it wasn't so near Larissa's. But I think I would most likely lock myself up in the bathroom and run a bath. You know, with the taps turned on as loud as I could to drone them out?" The corners of her lips curled upwards at the thought, obviously fantasizing about how good a bath would make her feel.

On the other hand, it was a different fantasy Sandy had in mind. It was inappropriate, but he wasn't able to deny the mental images he conjured up of Kirsten lying naked in a bathtub. He felt his pants tighten and was thankful she couldn't see him from the waist down._Get a hold of yourself, buddy_. If only she had an idea of what she was doing to him.

However, it seemed as if Sandy wasn't able to control himself. Instead of his head, he let his pants do the talking. "So, you're in the bathtub." _Naked_. "Don't tell me you honestly wouldn't think about what's going on in the other room, with Paul and Larissa. Thinking of all the noises that you heard. They _were_ pretty loud." He commented, trying to sound as if he was posing the question matter-of-factly. Maybe it was just him; Sandy didn't know if Kirsten noticed, but he felt things were getting heated up between the two of them.

Kirsten squirmed in her seat, but tried hard not to show him how uncomfortable she was with the direction their conversation was going. "Of course I'd be thinking about it. It's not exactly everyday something like that happens, and I doubt it's something I could get off my mind easily…" She responded honestly. _What on earth was he playing at?_

"You're thinking about it." Sandy smiled a little, not quite able to stop himself now. "Would you be horrified like you were with me tonight? Or would you be… aroused?" He tried to play his cool, tried to make their conversation seem as if it was completely harmless, tried to act as if their exchange wasn't doing a lot to him in places she couldn't see above the table.

Truthfully, Kirsten wasn't comfortable anymore with where this conversation was headed. She escaped from her dormitory to get away from the situation, not to study about it. However, Sandy's question intrigued her in a way that was surprising. She hadn't thought of the circumstances that way, that was for sure. It took her a while to come up with a truthful answer.

"I don't know if I would be." She began awkwardly. Here she was, at nearly four in the morning and having a rather stimulating conversation with this good-looking and sexy-voiced man that was making her shiver a little in anticipation.

"But I guess it would make me think of sex." Kirsten concluded with a final nod of her head. She was somewhat satisfied with her response. It wasn't blatant, but it was enough to keep him thinking. Or at least, that was what she thought. The corner they were seated at was dimly lit, but she thought she could see his bright blue eyes darkening with what was unmistakably desire. For a second, she wondered if she had said the wrong thing. Sandy may seem to be nice, but he was still a guy.

Tentatively, Kirsten broke the silence. The way he was staring at her should make her feel uncomfortable, but it only made her flushed all over. _Was he thinking what she was thinking?_ They barely said enough words about the topic and already she was feeling positively heady.

"What are you thinking about right now?" She asked, her voice coming out huskily. She could see the wheels turning in his head.

He wondered if he heard her right. There was a seductive undertone in her voice that he was sure that he just imagined. Unless of course, it was not just him and Kirsten was also feeling the same heat as he was feeling. But whether he imagined it or not, it excited him.

"Nothing." Sandy answered in a subdued tone, trying not to sound too strangled. He saw her raise her eyebrow, obviously expecting that he could come up with a better answer than that. But how were you supposed to tell this girl that you were thinking of having sex with her? It was inappropriate, and he was sure that if he mentioned it out loud, she would take off.

Beneath the table, she nudged his leg with hers. "Nothing?" She insisted. As she was met with silence, presumably with Sandy still thinking up of what to say, Kirsten's eyes found themselves looking at the wall clock for the first time.

"Wow. I didn't realize how late it was already." She said, surprised. She looked outside through the huge picture windows while Sandy looked at the clock himself. Instead of being surprised like she was, he just looked amused.

"It was already late when we made our way here. When we…" He told her with a beguiling smile, his voice still quiet. "started this."

"This?" When Kirsten looked back at him, that silence fell between them again. Sandy still had a soft smile on his face, but he didn't make a move. His eyes were fixed upon her intently, making her feel as if he knew what she was thinking all along. This sent a rush of arousal down her body. She wanted to believe that it was the effect his intense eyes had on her, but she knew it also had something to do with what they were talking about earlier. It was odd. There was nothing malicious about their exchange at all. It didn't even involve a lot of words, but it had provoked her to think and see things in a different light.

Kirsten shook herself mentally. She was being ridiculous, wasn't she? It was probably just fatigue from earlier and how she lacked sleep last night, after having been caught up in Larissa's last-minute preparations. For all she knew, this impromptu date with Sandy was just a figment in her imagination.

"This." His deep voice snapped her out of her thoughts, reminding her that, yes, she was sitting in a booth with a senior student and wearing a party dress. However, there was something meaningful in the way Sandy said that lone word, something she felt she caught on to immediately. This was definitely not a figment in her imagination, that was for sure.

"But this is… coffee, and… and, uh, conversation." Kirsten murmured, not sure if her words made perfect sense in their talk. But on her part, thinking clearly or not, there was no denying what she wanted any longer. She had to know if he was on the same page as her.

"Sandy… what are we talking about?"

Sandy had been looking at his drink while she spoke, but it was the way he met her gaze that sealed the deal. He wasn't leering at her. Instead, he looked… honest. Not aggressive, not desperate, not even pleading with her. He looked just a little hopeful, but the look in his eyes told her that it was going to be up to her.

"Kirsten," He began hesitantly. Sandy had slept with a few women in the past, but it had never been anything like this. It was less complicated, but he figured that alcohol played a factor in making things easier. Even then, he was never the type to go for drunken one-night stands. He always made sure that even if they were slightly buzzed, they knew what they were doing.

But tonight, both he and Kirsten were sober, although whether they were thinking clearly was debatable. There was no denying that he wanted her, even just for one night. But he was not going to take advantage of her, or force her if she would say no. He wanted her to want this as much as he himself wanted this. He didn't want her to have regrets in the morning. That was what mattered to him.

Sandy cleared his throat. "Would you like to extend this conversation of ours?"

Their eyes locked, and somehow, they managed to communicate without words. Kirsten immediately understood what he meant with his invitation, and it was what she was thinking of all along. However, despite her growing urges, she began questioning herself. Did she really want this? Being intimate with a man she had never met before tonight? Kirsten Nichol?

Somewhere in the back of her mind, a self-righteous voice was telling her that she should be angry and saying no at this. After tonight, she would be nothing to Sandy but a notch in his bedpost. Kirsten bit her lip. There was a louder voice inside her head, asking her, _why the hell not_? It wasn't as if she was asking for something long-term from Sandy anyway. It was just going to be one night with him, and that was what she wanted.

"Yes." Kirsten answered breathlessly, loving how Sandy seemed to have brightened up. The long pause after his question must've made him think pessimistically, but that didn't matter anymore. She knew what she wanted. He knew what he wanted. They both knew what they really wanted.

"I believe I would like that very much."

"Very well." Sandy was about to ask her if she would like to go now, but before he could say a word, Kirsten had gotten up from her seat. He stood up himself as she approached him apprehensively, suddenly a little shy and nervous.

He immediately understood – this was not something that she did often, and knowing that fueled Sandy's desire to make this night as special for her as much as he could.

* * *

_As Julie puts it, "One little stripper who'd never hurt anyone, who's just trying to make his way into the world… naked."_

_So, if reviews are sex, I am definitely a stripper. Heh. My sense of humor fails. Does this even amuse you? Should I keep up this reviews-are-sex thing, or is it starting to scare you? _

_Eh. Yeah. Go ahead, push that pretty little button and make me happy! I see the stats, you know. I know how many are reading! And besides, as __**stripscrabble**__ cleverly put it, reviews to me are updates for you._


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note:**__ Thank you for all the reviews! I wasn't expecting positive feedback about the chapter before this, but I'm definitely not complaining. I keep on reading them over and over again t__o feel better about the chapter. Hopefully you'll enjoy this new chapter, because I really had fun and I loved writing it. _

_Also, I'm back at school for my second semester. This means updates wouldn't be as frequent as before, when it took only a few days for a new chapter to be up. But I promise I'll try to keep this updated every week._

_**Disclaimer:**__ What? Me, own anything? Nah. __But exactly a week from now will be my birthday! Presents, anyone?_

* * *

**STOLEN**

* * *

It was funny, in a very odd way. In all those movies, this was supposed to be the part where the scene shifts to the couple finding themselves in a more private place, locked in a kiss while stripping themselves of their clothes. But not one of them ever dealt with this rather awkward transition that Sandy and Kirsten found themselves in as they made their way outside the coffee shop.

Sandy held Kirsten's hand in his much bigger one as the strolled down the streets of lovely Berkeley, something which she found she didn't really mind. There was something in how he held her close to him that made her feel secure. It wasn't restricting, but it felt as if he was almost scared that she would disappear if he let go of her hand.

It amazed her at how little it took for her to be so comfortable around him. Usually, Kirsten was guarded when it came to people, but in the duration of their conversation earlier, he had already knocked some of her walls down. The instant connection and the undeniable chemistry between them scared her. She had never felt anything like it with anyone else before, not even with Jimmy, who was her last, and her only serious boyfriend. _Ex-boyfriend, Kirsten_, she corrected herself sadly. While she did not regret breaking up with him more than two years ago, she couldn't deny she missed how close they used to be.

She heard Sandy clear his throat, making her look up at him. "I guess 'your-place-or-mine' is out of the question, huh?" He said with a bemused grin that relieved some of the tension that had been accumulating between them ever since they left the café. Kirsten nodded, chuckling. She couldn't exactly take him back to her dormitory unless he wanted to have a contest with Paul on who could make the girl scream the loudest, and they couldn't get into Sandy's, obviously.

Sandy was the kind of person who always looked on the brighter side of things, but at that moment, he couldn't help but think that maybe this… _this_ wasn't meant to happen. The circumstances weren't in their favor and he felt that maybe he had been too hopeful on his part. The most beautiful girl was walking beside him with her hand in his. She was so close that he could almost smell her perfume, an intoxicating fragrance he was sure he would always associate with her. It was almost too good to be true.

However, Kirsten was obviously not thinking along the same lines as Sandy. She wracked up her brains, trying to come up with a place they could go to. A hotel was out of the question. He had already admitted he didn't have money, and while she could afford a room, she knew that Sandy would not want her to pay for one. He had already expressed disapproval when she tried to hand him money earlier for her coffee, stubbornly insisting that it was only right that he pay for her drink. It only took several more moments of thinking before a smile appeared, lighting up the delicately beautiful features on her face.

By now, their walking had led them to a corner, wherein a single lamp post cast light over the two streets that were connected. She paused in her footsteps and waited for him to stop walking as well. She waited until he faced her, before she spoke.

"Sandy, I think I know where we could go." Kirsten spoke so quietly, it was as if she was revealing the world's secret. He had to bend his head down to hear her better, but once he understood what she was saying, he looked hopeful.

"Really?" Sandy asked hesitantly, wondering for the millionth time that night whether he heard her right. This girl was full of surprises.

When she nodded and told him, "Really," in an affirmative tone, he could feel himself immediately brightening up. They exchanged identical smiles, too caught up in the magic of the moment that it took them another moment for them to realize how close they were standing in front of the other. Both took a deep breath, suddenly unsure of what to do. Everything was a whirl. It was all so sudden, but it was new and exciting at the same time. If being with her always felt like this, then he would gladly stay with her for the rest of his life.

Sandy was looking into Kirsten's eyes. Even in the semi-darkness, he could see so much in them that he almost got lost just staring. The feel of soft skin against his free hand, the hand that wasn't holding Kirsten's broke his trance. He looked down to see that she had slipped her other hand beneath his, joining them together by both hands. But before he could ask what that was all about, she had stepped forward, closed the gap between their bodies and pressed her lips to his.

For a moment, Sandy stood still, unable to kiss her back. He was beyond surprised at how forward she was being. Not only did he not expect it, but he didn't think she would make the first move. Bit by bit, his shock wore off and he immediately realized that he wasn't exactly reciprocating to her actions. Slowly, he began to kiss her back. He didn't rush, wanting this to be special not only for her, but for him as well.

As his full lips brushed against her softer ones, he let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her waist instead, pulling her closer to him, letting her know she didn't make a mistake when she kissed him first. In return, Kirsten ran her hands over his chest before setting at the back of his neck, her fingers lacing together to lock him in that position, making it clear that she didn't want him to stop.

Eventually, they did have to stop, though it took a long time for the both of them to pull away. When they did, both were out of breath and completely exhilarated. Unable to help himself, Sandy leaned forward to give her a kiss on the nose, then one last peck on the lips, two things she definitely wasn't complaining about.

"Wow, Kirsten." Sandy whispered in her ear, and his breath against her skin sent shivers down her back.

"Yeah." He could feel her smile against his skin as she buried her face in his neck.

He continued to hold her close to him. From afar, they looked as if they were slow-dancing. Sandy couldn't help but marvel at how they seemed to fit together so well. He ran a hand down her back, every touch deliberate and thoughtful. For Kirsten, if having him hold her hand made her feel so safe, it was nothing compared to being in his arms. She felt warm and comforted, and she almost didn't want him to let her go. She could spend a long time being held in his arms like that.

Kirsten felt Sandy pull away a little, though he still didn't let go of her. He just leaned backward enough so they could look at each other face to face. "What was that for?" He asked, sounding pleased. He had a goofy grin on his face that charmed her and made her smile back at him, although a bit shyly.

"You're going to laugh at me." She predicted warningly, cocking an eyebrow at him. Nevertheless, even with that threat, Kirsten continued forward. "I don't know how I can explain it well. I just… I just want the first kiss to be special. Not sloppy, rushed and desperate as I'm sure it will be later." She blushed, thankful that at the very least, the semi-darkness prevented Sandy from seeing her cheeks turning pink in embarrassment. It was the first time either of them brought up the topic bluntly, making them fully aware of what they were going to do.

There was that pause between them again, as the weight of her words set in. Slowly, Sandy raised a hand to tenderly stroke the skin on her cheek, feeling in awe of its softness. "Well, what about the second kiss? Think it could be special also?"

"Just in case you forgot, you already kissed me twice." Kirsten pointed out light-heartedly, reminding him of that small peck he gave her just moments earlier. It left a lingering tingle on her lips, so it definitely wasn't easy to forget on her part. "And it was special too."

Sandy looked amused. "Well, okay. What about the third one?" He moved his hands to cup her face, and he slowly leaned towards her.

Just before he met his lips with hers for the third time, he murmured. "I heard third time's the charm?"

Kirsten's eyes fell closed. She could feel her breath intermingling with his, and unconsciously leaning towards his warmth, she nodded slightly at his remark. "I heard that rumor." She said, simply wanting him to kiss her already. As if reading her mind, he closed his eyes and kissed her through her smile. They kept their lips closed, but he kept his on hers for a long time, letting her appreciate the sweetness that came with the gesture.

"What about that?" Sandy asked when they finally broke the kiss. He moved his hand from where it was cupping her face to tuck a stray lock of golden hair behind her ear. "Was that special too?"

"I'm definitely not complaining!" Kirsten answered with a grin. She stepped away from him, leaving her missing the feel of his arms around her. "Shall we go?" She asked innocently, even if both of them knew what was coming next.

"Sure." Sandy agreed, his mind clouded over the kisses that he and Kirsten just shared. He kept his hand covering hers as they began walking again. "So, where is this place? Is it nearby?" He glanced around as they passed through the familiar buildings of the campus they both studied in. "Private? Free?" He asked, making her laugh.

"It's just off-campus, so I hope you don't mind walking a bit. It's really not far." Kirsten reassured him, to which he only nodded and deemed fine. Truthfully, he didn't exactly mind where they were going, as long as he was going to be with her. That was what was important to him. He squeezed her hand gently and let her lead the way to wherever she was taking him.

The couple walked in silence, passing by more lamp posts and even familiar people who were up early to travel. It was Thanksgiving, and some of the students in Berkeley were going to be out of town for a few days, visiting family who lived somewhere else. Neither Sandy nor Kirsten paid attention though, both simply intent on getting to their destination. However, before they could reach the place, Sandy spotted a bright sign that made him stop. Of course, how could he forget?

"I think we need to make a stop." He told Kirsten softly, and she followed his gaze until hers landed on a 24-hour drugstore.

"I didn't exactly… I wasn't exactly planning on meeting you tonight."

She looked puzzled for a moment, before it dawned onto her. She was obviously so far gone that she hadn't thought of protection.

"Okay."

They crossed the street and pushed open the door to the drugstore. Kirsten felt apprehensive as she made her way through the mini-aisles, until both of them found what they were looking for. It was a surreal experience. With Jimmy, he was the one who took care of this stuff, and he didn't ask her to come with him. She had no idea there could be so… many of them. In different colors, flavors, and even textures. She gaped and raised an eyebrow at this, obviously clueless. Hopefully Sandy knew what to get.

While Kirsten couldn't help but feel self-conscious about their purchase as she and Sandy paid at the counter, she surprised herself when she held the gaze of the cashier. She dared the woman to judge her and Sandy. She was going to end up being the luckier one in the long run anyway, knowing she will have more fun than the lady behind the cash register once they left. For once, she didn't care what other people thought of her, and it made her feel good. Smug, even.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Sandy questioned the moment they stepped out of the drugstore. He held a brown doggy bag in his hands, containing the purchase they just made a minute ago. They set off towards the direction that Kirsten led them to.

"You'll see in a little while." A wind blew over them, and Kirsten shivered. She always got so cold easily, more used to the warmer weather in Southern California.

Sandy was quick to notice this. He looked down at what he was wearing, and cursed himself for not wearing a jacket that he could offer to her. "You cold?" It was a stupid question, but he made up for it by drawing her closer to him, wrapping an arm around her bare shoulders. "Sorry I don't have anything with me right now, but I hope this is okay." He offered tentatively.

Kirsten was grateful for the body heat. "This is nice." She answered honestly, snuggling deeper into his embrace. "Besides, we're not too far off. We're almost there."

'There' turned out to be an empty lot of some sort, hidden just behind the campus. It was hard for Sandy to describe what it was like, considering the darkness of the hour. From what he could tell, there were several benches around and several lamp posts similar to ones they passed by earlier, only unlit. The place was beautiful, but it was obvious that no one bothered to maintain the place regularly.

In the middle of the grassy terrain was what Sandy was most curious about. Not only did it look completely out of place, but Kirsten was leading him there. "Kirsten?" He asked, clearly wondering why they were headed in that direction in the first place.

"A mail truck?" It was only when they stopped in front of it that Sandy realized what the thing really was. It didn't look very old, but from how the bonnet of the truck was lifted up, he could tell that this thing was broken beyond repair. "Are you sure this is the place?" He asked her, still looking puzzled.

Kirsten nodded. "It's mine. Well, kind of. I was the one who found it here." She explained, a small smile on her face. She could tell Sandy was hesitant about this, so she decided it was time to show him what was inside. From her purse, she pulled out a set of keys and showed him the one that would open the mail truck.

"I come in here sometimes, when I just want to be alone." She admitted. "You're the first one I told about this." Kirsten said shyly, extracting herself from Sandy's embrace so she could unlock the door at the back of the mail truck. Tentatively, Sandy followed her and simply watched as she single-handedly swung open the heavy door.

She stepped inside, paused, and turned back to look at him. "Come on in. Look what I've done to this place."

Kirsten flicked a switch as Sandy followed her inside the vehicle, bathing them in the dim yellow light that came from a lamp. As his eyes adjusted to the slight brightness, he looked around the homey place that she called her own.

The mail truck wasn't big enough to host a lot of furniture, so there wasn't much inside it. Directly in front of him was a low plastic table with a dark blue piece of cloth draped over it. There were books and magazines laid out on top of the table, as well as several unused candles that gave off a light, feminine fragrance. To his side, there were more magazines stacked neatly alongside some boxes. Across that particular wall, Kirsten had pinned up some more pictures to give the mail truck a personal touch.

Curiously, Sandy walked to that wall and peered at the photographs. He saw a much younger Kirsten, posing with people he concluded was her family in front of a huge mansion; Kirsten with her mother, an older woman who looked so much like her; A black-and-white photograph of baby Kirsten sitting on her father's knee; Kirsten with a toddler he assumed was her sister; Kirsten with this lanky boy, both wearing identical USC sweaters – that was definitely interesting; Kirsten and a bunch of other girls her age, who were probably her friends back in high school…

"Sandy."

He didn't realize that he had become so engrossed looking at all the pictures. Reluctantly tearing his gaze away, Sandy looked around to find Kirsten on the farthest side of the mail truck. She was seated on the floor, on a mattress he didn't even notice was there in the first place. The smile on her face was enough to make him momentarily forget about all those photographs.

"Care to join me?" Kirsten asked, patting the space next to her on the mattress. In the dim light of the vehicle, Sandy had never seen such a breathtakingly alluring sight. He slowly made his way towards her, keeping his eyes locked on hers as he walked. When he got to where she was, he kicked off his loafers and knelt down in front of her.

Her lips curled upward in another smile. "Hey."

"Hey." Sandy's gaze never wavered from her face, looking as if he wanted to memorize every delicate detail, from the faintest freckles on her face, to her clear blue eyes that held the world, her cute button nose which he simply found irresistible, and finally, to the lips he had been missing the feel of ever since their last kiss in that street corner.

Kirsten inclined her head towards the wall of pictures, before she met Sandy's stare. "Saw something interesting?" She questioned with a playful smile.

Sandy decided that it had been far too long since he last kissed her. Once more, his hands found themselves cupping her face before he leaned forward to capture her lips in his. Their lips moved against each other's for several moments longer, before Sandy pulled away to Kirsten's surprise. He waited until she opened her eyes before he smiled warmly down at her.

"I do now."

* * *

_If reviews are sex, then I'm really, really horny. __Not quite the smut yet, but, hey, __I brought up the mail truck! I deserve love. You have to admit that was an inspired idea. __Heh. :)_

_Reviews would be greatly appreciated._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note:**__ Knowing that this what all of you have been waiting for, I'm not going to go on and on here. _

_Okay, so maybe I will. Shamefully enough, I broke my pace. I don't have the next chapter written already, and it's really freaking me out. I'm going to work double-time on this __fic__ so that I'll have chapters up sooner. It's just that ever since school started, I've been really, really exhausted. Too exhausted to write, so I hope you guys understand. Besides, Christmas is right around the corner!_

_And, speaking of holidays, guess who's turning a year older in fifty minutes? Clearly, I am going out with a BANG. How nice of me to update this __fic__ one last time as a sixteen year old — with smut! Love me forever._

_Lastly, as for how long thi__s is going to be, I have no __ide__. I actually have this __fic__ all planned out already and my outline isn't that long! I think I'm just drawing out the events__ so that I'll have more chapters. But just like the rest of you, I seriously have no clue how long this is __gonna__ be._

_Enjoy this chapter!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ If I owned this thing, Sandy and Kirsten would be planning for my big birthday party right now. Seriously.  
_

* * *

**STOLEN**

* * *

Sandy and Kirsten remained in their position for the longest time, perfectly content to be kissing for the moment. Even without words, they immediately came to agreement that they wanted to take things slow. He kept his hands cupped on her face, his thumbs gently caressing the delicate skin on her cheeks as he sensually explored her mouth with his tongue. Kirsten returned his kiss softly yet playfully at the same time, meeting his tongue with hers and massaging it in a gentle manner that nearly took his breath away. She marveled at the sweetness of his taste, making her aroused and lusting for more.

As Sandy captured her bottom lip and stroked it with his tongue, she moved her hands to his shoulders and gently eased the both of them down onto the makeshift bed with him hovering above her. He was hesitant to rest too much weight on her body, afraid that he would crush her. He broke off the kiss and looked down at her in concern.

"Are you okay?"

Beneath him, with her golden hair splayed messily on the sheets, she smiled and nodded up at him. "I'm a little nervous." Kirsten added after a moment's hesitation. She didn't tell him that it was the first time she was doing this, but she was more than grateful that it was Sandy who she was going to share this one-night stand with. Not only did he know what he was doing, but he was a gentleman to her as well. She couldn't ask for more from such a considerate partner who not only sought to obtain pleasure, but aimed to give her hers as well.

"But I'm definitely more than okay." Kirsten reassured him after he looked uncertain. She gave him one more smile before she left a lingering kiss on his lips. She was about to plead him not to stop when something came to mind.

"Before we continue, I want to ask you something." Sandy searched her eyes as she spoke and nodded to her request, as if telling her to go on. He was tempted to leave kisses on her bare shoulders when his head registered the serious tone in her voice. He looked intently at her instead, giving her his full attention.

"This is… _this_ is…" Kirsten emphasized her words so that he would understand what she was talking about. "I don't know what _this_ means, Sandy. I mean, I know what _this_ is, but… I—"

Seemingly understanding her point, he shushed her by putting his index finger lightly on her lips. "No strings attached, Kirsten." He assured her. "No future to think about. This can just be… _this_." Sandy traced the outline of her moist, pink lips before he slowly removed her finger so that she would be able to talk. "Is that what you wanted to hear?"

That was _exactly_ what she wanted to hear. Even though she and Jimmy had been long over, Kirsten felt as if she still wasn't ready to have another relationship like that, and especially not with Sandy Cohen. They were so different from each other that she just didn't see what would hold them together if ever they decided to take that route. All she wanted was this one night between them. One night, with no expectations for the future, no explanations, no apologies, and hopefully with no regrets.

Kirsten nodded. "Yes."

Satisfied, Sandy brought his head down to hers and kissed her again. She parted her lips to grant his tongues' entrance, and he immediately deepened the kiss, giving her what she wanted so desperately. His hands traveled along the sides of her body, coming to a rest on her calf where her party dress ended. He kept his hand steady on her knee as the other traveled beneath the fabric, not getting close to where it mattered just yet, but contenting itself by caressing the soft, warm skin on the inside of her thigh. Even with the slightest touch, she was so responsive and Sandy loved it.

Kirsten surprised him once more when she broke off all contact with him and guided him up to a standing. He was initially confused, but when she met his lips with hers briefly before her hands began undoing the buttons on his shirt, he immediately understood her intentions. As her hands worked, Sandy pressed her body to his chest. He ran his hand down her spine until he finally found the zipper of her dress. Moving in synch with her, he lowered the zip down to the small of her back slowly, almost as if he was teasing her. By the time he was finished in unzipping her dress, she was already done opening all the buttons on his shirt, and was now pushing the material away from his broad shoulders, wanting to see all of him.

Kirsten's eyes darkened in desire as she looked at his bare upper body appreciatively. She was definitely not off-track when she fantasized about that body beneath the shirt when she encountered him earlier in her kitchen. As if in a trance, she ran her small hands all over his chest, feeling the hard, defined muscles beneath her palms.

Sandy closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel exquisite pleasure at her touch on his skin. "Oh, Kirsten." He whispered breathlessly as she explored him, taking her time as she did so. He felt her hands brush over his nipples teasingly and bit back a moan, not even knowing that the slightest touch there could be such an incredible turn-on for a man. He could already feel himself growing, and found himself arching to her whenever she discovered a sensitive spot. However, when he felt her curious fingers trail over the line of hair that led beyond his pants, he knew he had to make her stop.

"Kirsten, please." Sandy sounded strangled as hands circled her wrists and pulled them far from down there. She looked apologetic and stepped back, letting him take a moment to regain his breathing. She never thought that she could make him lose control so easily.

"I'm sorry."

Sandy shook his head before opening his eyes. "We were both going to be really sorry there if you didn't stop when you did." He told her light-heartedly, not expecting that he would make her smile at that comment. But she did, even chuckled, relieved to know that she hadn't done anything wrong to him.

"Well, I guess I should thank you for stopping me." Kirsten teased, making him smile back at her.

Having somewhat recovered, Sandy pulled her back in his embrace, where he felt she truly belonged. He left a kiss on her nose as his fingers played with the thin straps of fabric that held her dress up. "For the record," He murmured, punctuating each word with a peck on her lips. "I _didn't_ want you to stop."

Their lips met again in a passionate kiss. He gently backed her up against the mail truck wall before he pressed his groin to hers, letting her feel what exactly she was doing to him. The moment she felt his hardness, Kirsten moaned in delighted surprise, unable to believe that she really had that effect on him. She ran her hands up and down his muscled arms as she continued to kiss him, and Sandy felt on the verge of losing control again with the sensory overdrive she was causing within him. He needed to divert her attention, and fast.

Pulling away from her lips, Sandy pinned her wrists onto the wall so that she wouldn't be able to touch him. He moved his kisses along her jaw line and listened for her cues as he kissed every inch of skin on her neck, intent on finding spots that would drive her crazy. He immediately knew it when he found one because she would let out this breathy gasp that was just music to his ears. He would continue to lavish his attention on that particular spot, enjoying the sounds of her moans before he would move on and look for another one.

"Mmm, Sandy." Kirsten moaned breathlessly, her eyes flickering open and closed. She tugged her wrists from his grasp and took hold of his head, encouraging him to continue. She raked her fingers through his mop of jet-black hair as he relentlessly nipped on her flushed skin. "You're driving me… oh, you're driving me crazy." She gasped as he buried his face in her chest as his now-free hands traveled up to feel her curves through her dress.

That was it; Kirsten felt that she couldn't take it anymore. She pulled him back up to her and kissed him ardently, letting him know just how desperate she was getting. He seemed to get the message and moved his hands to push the straps away from her shoulders while she moved her arms so that the dress pooled to the floor effortlessly, leaving her in her matching underwear.

Sandy rested his hands on her hips as he took his turn admiring her gorgeous body while she began undoing the buckle of his belt. The lamp at the far corner of the room bathed Kirsten in yellow light, making her blond hair gleam and her skin glow radiantly. She was a little on the thin side, but she had curves in just the right places. He could see that she didn't have very big breasts, but that didn't matter to him very much. Seeing how hard her nipples were through her lace bra was enough of a turn-on for him.

Kirsten looked up as she finished unbuckling his belt. She met Sandy's gaze and bit her bottom lip rather adorably as her fingers made their way to the button of his pants. She paused, wordlessly questioning him if he wanted her to do the honors. Sandy just smiled and nodded, encouraging her to continue.

Once he stepped out of his pants and kicked them off somewhere, he slowly descended to the mattress, taking Kirsten with him. Sandy laid her out on the sheets and leaned over to give her a kiss. He distracted her with his tongue while his hands made their way under her body to undo the clasp of her strapless bra. She was so lost in his kiss that she didn't realize he had removed it from her body until she felt her bare breasts against his chest.

Sandy pulled away to admire her incredible figure once more, this time with her breasts exposed to him. The sight took his breath away. Her chest rose and fell seductively as she breathed, and this made him give in to temptation. He lowered his head to kiss the very tip of her breast before taking the nipple into his mouth and sucking it gently. His hand gave the same attention to her other breast, fondling it as if it was the most delicate thing in the world. Beneath him, Kirsten writhed in immense pleasure, digging her long fingernails into Sandy's shoulders as she fought to let out a scream. It had been far too long since she last did this, and she almost forgot how incredible it felt like. She could feel herself getting wetter as Sandy's mouth and hand changed places. Unable to help herself by now, she let out a moan and arched her back, giving him greater access.

Kirsten barely felt him leave her breasts as he trailed kisses down her stomach and past her belly button. Unconsciously, she parted her legs, much to Sandy's delight. Without pausing, his eyes looked up at her and he felt as if he could've come from the sight alone. She was breathing heavily, shaking her head from side to side in her pleasure. Her flushed skin was starting to glisten with sweat, and her rosy nipples were still wet from the attention he gave them moments earlier. This was the most erotic sight Sandy had ever laid eyes on, and he was sure that this image would be prominent in his future fantasies about her.

Before she could realize that he had momentarily stopped, Sandy lowered his head to her stomach and began kissing her again, moving lower and lower until his lips met the delicate fabric of her underwear. He hooked a finger through the rim and pulled it down from her long legs, leaving her completely nude on the bed. He kissed his way up, from her ankles, to her calves, along the inside of her thigh until he finally reached his destination. He spread her legs once more, letting him see her in all her glory, and it was most definitely not a disappointment.

Kirsten felt herself getting more and more excited as she waited for the inevitable moment, but her anticipation was nothing compared to the actual feel of his lips caressing her right there. She let out a sigh of relief, which quickly faded into several breathy gasps as he pleasured her masterfully with his tongue. A loud moan escaped her lips, knowing that she didn't have to worry about anyone hearing them in this area. As he moved to suck on her clit, Sandy inserted a finger into her moist opening. Together, his mouth and his finger worked on helping her reach her climax.

Her hips rose up to meet the gentle thrusts of his finger as more moans escaped from her lips. Sandy could tell that she was getting close, but still, he didn't stop, desperate to please her, determined to give her the pleasure that she deserved. He was so focused on the task at hand that it took him a moment to realize that Kirsten was begging him to stop.

"Sandy, stop!" She cried out, though obviously her body language was saying otherwise. Breathing heavily, she forced herself to push him away from her throbbing, heated core. She lay limply on the bed as Sandy withdrew his finger from her. He wondered what was wrong, what made her want to stop when she was obviously enjoying herself.

He kissed her way back up her body, lingering on her erogenous zones before reaching her lips, where he kissed her briefly. "What's wrong?" He asked, worried that he wasn't pleasing her the way she wanted him to, or that he wasn't pleasing her at all. No other girl had ever urged him to stop what he was doing when he was down there already.

A few seconds passed before Kirsten slowly opened her eyes. The reassuring smile that appeared on her face melted his heart, but it was the words she struggled to let out that completely eased his worries away. "I want it to be with you. Please."

Sandy couldn't help but be surprised, but who was he to deny her? He leaned over to give her another kiss, a deeper one this time, letting her fully taste herself on his tongue. After a few moments, they reluctantly broke apart, and Sandy got up to retrieve the doggy bag from the table where he left it earlier. As he made his way back to her, he kept his eyes on Kirsten, who was smiling seductively at him. That grin alone made him wonder what he had done to be so lucky tonight. In fact, Sandy was beginning to feel thankful about the Paul and Larissa incident back at the party; otherwise he wouldn't have ended up in this mail truck with the loveliest girl he had ever met, who was willing to share one special night with him.

Sandy set the package on the floor beside the bed and found his way back to Kirsten. He settled himself on top of her body, careful not to rest too much weight on her small body, but making sure to add pressure in all the right places to let her feel what exactly she was doing to him. Kirsten let out a breath she had been holding as she felt him settle in between her legs, his hardness rubbing against her groin which caused the most pleasurable friction. As her excitement increased, so did her desperation and her desire to finally see what her lover had to offer.

"Sandy, you're overdressed." She mumbled breathlessly, lifting her hips higher to meet his teasing thrusts. Kirsten's hands traveled down his toned back until they rested on the fabric of his boxers. She slipped one beneath the garter, cupping a feel of his ass before moving her hand to the front where she finally took a hold of him. Her fingers wrapped themselves around his cock. He was immensely hard, but the skin was soft to her touch, something she marveled about as she slowly moved her hand up and down his length.

"Oh, I was hoping you could fix that." This time, it was Sandy's turn to moan as her hand worked its magic on him. He didn't think it was possible, but he could feel himself getting bigger. His bigger hand joined hers in stroking himself for a moment before he gently pulled her hand away and guided it back to his boxers. Together, they pushed it down his legs, and he kicked it off somewhere.

As the boxers lay forgotten in the heat of their undeniable passion, all Sandy longed for was to be finally physically connected to Kirsten. He thought he could climb out of his skin just to be able to slide his body into hers and do things to her that she never thought possible even in her wildest dreams. But the sight of the brown paper bag caught his attention, and her gaze fell on it at the same time. As much as he hated the thought of putting it on, he knew that if they were really going to do this, they need to be responsible lest they regret it later.

He took a pack from the bag and held it out to her. "Do you want to do the honors? Or would you rather I do it?"

Kirsten's curious gaze traveled from the silver foil to Sandy. He really thought that she was going to let him do it instead, but after a pause, she grinned mischievously and took the condom from him. "I'll do it."

He watched with interest as she struggled to open the sealed packet. Eventually, she tore it with her teeth and wordlessly instructed him to lie on his back so that she could put the condom on him. The moment that he felt her fingers massaging him as she rolled the silky latex down his length all the way to the base, Sandy groaned and closed his eyes, never expecting that putting on a condom could be such a pivotal part of foreplay. Right then and there, he vowed never to put his own condom ever again.

"Okay?" She said, once she was satisfied that she had him covered.

Sandy forced his eyes open, only to be met once more with the seductive sight of Kirsten on top of his body. With the way she was straddling him, he allowed himself to enjoy the view. She was so sexy, and knowing that she was nude for his eyes only made him pant harder in anticipation. He drew in a sharp breath as he looked at her with lustful eyes.

"Maybe you need more practice."

Kirsten's eyes widened, but she grinned once she realized that Sandy was just teasing her. "Well, we'll have the whole night for that, won't we?" She taunted with a gleam in her eyes, which was the last straw for Sandy. He gently eased her off his body and flipped them over, pinning her beneath him. He meant to taunt her back with some smart-ass comment that only he could come up with. But words disappeared the moment that he held her helpless under his control. There wasn't a shred of fear in her eyes – rather, trust shone through those dark blue orbs. Trust, anticipation… lust.

"I'm going to take you, Kirsten." Sandy knew it was the right thing to say when he saw her pupils dilate in her excitement. He settled himself between her legs and entered her slowly, letting the both of them get used to the feel of being physically connected. They stared into each other's eyes, never breaking contact as he filled her deeply until he was completely sheathed inside her body.

Kirsten moaned, lifting her hips to move against him. He met her movements with gentle thrusts, not wanting to increase his speed if she wasn't ready yet. Sandy remained at his slow pace, doing everything in his power to control himself. The sound of her harsh breathing and her moans were turning him on even more, and he was afraid to reach his peak before she reached hers. He lowered his lips to her ear and whispered softly, "You feel incredible."

"You're incredible." She breathed in response as she writhed beneath him. Sandy was no doubt the best lover she ever had. Not that Kirsten had a lot of guys to compare him with, but it was never like this before. The slow pace was sweet agony and she felt that she could go on in this bliss forever.

Eventually, the desire curling in her belly slowly drove Kirsten off the edge. Her grip on his shoulders tightened as her pleasure escalated, feeling as if her body was on fire. Sandy listened to her cues. When she said, "Faster," he increased his swiftness; when she said, "Harder," he did just that. He was so desperate to please this woman that he barely noticed how everything was taking its toll on him. Like her, his breathing was ragged, and sweat covered his body in a light sheen.

"Scream for me, Kirsten." Sandy whispered hoarsely as he withdrew from her body until only the tip was left. Then he plunged back into her, making her scream out what vaguely sounded like his name. She was so aroused that it made pistoning in and out of her easy for him that his control was slipping.

"Do that again." Kirsten rasped, sounding helpless as she bucked up to meet his thrusts, bringing the both of them closer to her peak. Her senses were getting numbed that all she could think about was how insatiable they were. She pulled Sandy's head down to hers and kissed him, not caring how sloppy it was. Sandy swallowed her moans as he kissed her back, massaging her tongue with his. He could tell that she was close, and if it seemed possible, he moved even faster, and penetrated her as deep as he could.

Suddenly, Kirsten let out a cry as she climaxed powerfully. He could feel her inner walls throbbing against his manhood, but he struggled to control himself, letting her have her pleasure first. She rode the waves of her orgasm for such a long time that he felt he was going to explode any moment now.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, she lay limp and completely breathless on the bed with Sandy still moving within her. Slowly, Kirsten opened her eyes, only to see Sandy with his eyes tightly shut, obviously on the verge of coming.

"Come for me, Sandy." She coaxed, breathing heavily into his ear as she kissed him again.

"I'm trying to hold back for you."

"Do me a favor. Stop trying." And with the sweet seductiveness of her voice, Sandy finally exploded within her.

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_Let's see. If reviews are sex, then… just do it already!_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Author's Note:**__ I hope this did not take long enough! I was busy with my preliminary exams, so that's what kept me from writing these past… fifteen days? Anyway, I think this is kind of messy – all over the place. So, if there are any inconsistencies or errors, just be nice about it! I aim to please. Also, I feel this is not up-to-par with previous chapters, so one can only hope you guys don't see this chapter that way._

_With that, enjoy! I nearly forgot just how much I love writing this thing. _

_**Disclaimers:**__ Who do you think I am, Josh Schwartz?_

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STOLEN

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The sun had begun to rise by the time he pulled her flushed, exhausted body next to his, wrapped his arms around her and lulled her to sleep. Before he drifted off himself, Sandy couldn't help but think of how right it felt to have her in his arms. He allowed himself to savor in the feeling, knowing that that moment was all that he had.

Eventually, he did fall into a blissful slumber. But his sleep was haunted by thoughts, and he rose just after a mere few hours. Unable to fall back asleep, Sandy contented himself with staring at the woman named Kirsten. Even with her make-up smeared off and her hair a total mess, it didn't change his opinion of her being one of the most beautiful girls he had ever laid eyes on.

Sandy shifted so that she was more comfortable in his arms. She had her back to him, and her entire body was pressed snugly against his chest. He stroked her blond locks as he listened to her soft snoring fill the air. Even he found that rather adorable and endearing. He lifted his head and left a kiss to Kirsten's forehead, simply smiling as her eyes stopped flickering, and she slept on peacefully.

Beams of the morning sunshine filtered through the thin curtains of the mail truck's windows, casting flickering shadows across Kirsten's delicate features as she slowly woke up. Not opening her eyes just yet, she sighed softly and allowed herself to bask in her contentment. A serene smile spread on her face as she remembered the night she had just shared with Sandy. Yes, she barely knew him, but Kirsten thought he was the most incredible lover she ever had. Sandy satisfied and pleasured her in a way Jimmy was never able to… and several times, in fact.

_When __the both of them finally regained their normal breathing, Sandy lay next to Kirsten in her queen-sized mattress. He pulled her close to him until she was resting her head on his shoulder, and he had an arm wrapped around her tiny waist. He kissed her hair, and just when he was going for a second kiss, she tilted her head and he left a kiss on her nose instead._

_Their lips met once more. As their passion escalated, and things heated up, Sandy shifted so that he was now on top of Kirsten. Her eyes fell closed as he trailed wet, sensual kisses along her neck and down the flushed skin on her chest. His hands found the curves on her chest again, and his fingers lightly brushed against the peaks that were slowly hardening with her arousal. Beneath him, on the mattress, she squirmed in delight._

_"Kirsten," He mumbled her name against her skin as his lips continued its odyssey downwards. Kirsten moaned as Sandy's tongue traced her belly button, causing her back to arch slightly. Sandy lifted his lips from her stomach, enough that he could speak clearly; but not enough, as she could still feel his hot breath on her skin. "You stopped me earlier, but there's no stopping me this time." There was a hint of mischief in his voice as he spoke, and Kirsten only moaned her agreement, spurring him on._

_With his hands still pleasuring her nipples, Sandy descended further until he was met with the musky, intoxicating aroma of the sweet wetness that was waiting for him. He brought his hands down to her thighs and eased them apart and leaned forward, marking the beginning of several more near-climaxes, until Kirsten couldn't take it anymore._

Kirsten felt a pair of lips on the part where her neck met her shoulder, and she opened her eyes slowly. She tilted her head to the side, only to be met by a pair of striking blue eyes that lit up the moment he realized that she was awake. They shared a smile as she rolled over so that she was facing him directly.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

Sandy's hand that had been resting on her side stroked her hip through the thin sheet that covered their bodies as Kirsten leaned up to capture his lips in a kiss. He was more than happy to reciprocate it, moving his hand from its resting place to cup her face and pull her closer to him.

By the time they pulled away from each other, Kirsten was on top of Sandy, and her hands were roaming all over his sturdy chest, while his arms were wrapped around her waist. Blond hair fell like a curtain over her face as she smiled down at him.

"Sandy?"

"Hmm?" He responded, brushing away the curls that were framing her face.

There was a mixture of mischief and sheepishness clouding over Kirsten's face as she spoke. "I don't know. Are one night stands supposed to end up like this?" She asked, her face flushing. "I kind of expected I'd wake up to find you gone."

"Well, if you slept on longer than you did…" Sandy's voice trailed off, letting Kirsten understand what he meant. He smiled regretfully, hating the fact that he should be leaving now. "Kirsten, I have to go. I have a plane to catch in two hours. I'm going to New York."

Kirsten's face fell slightly. When she woke up, she had been longing that maybe they could stay in bed for a while longer. And when they had kissed and made out, it seemed as if things were going the way she was hoping. Still, she put on a smile and acted as if she wasn't disappointed at all.

"Okay." She thought she sounded pretty convincing. Wrapping the sheet around her nude body, she climbed off Sandy and crawled the way to her clothes, which were sprawled all over the floor. "I have to go too. Larissa's probably looking for me." It was a lame statement, and both of them knew it. If anything, Kirsten's best friend was still probably passed out from her tryst with Paul last night.

Sandy sighed dejectedly and found his clothes as well, trying to figure out what to say. He didn't want them to separate on awkward terms, but he didn't have a choice. He didn't exactly think he'd be in this situation when he scheduled his flight to New York. Had he known he was going to share a night with Kirsten then, he would've gone for a later plane instead.

Fully dressed, Sandy sat on the mattress as he waited for Kirsten to finish changing. She had already stepped into her shoes, but she seemed to be having a bit of trouble zipping her dress up. She looked at him awkwardly, and he patted the spot next to him.

"Let me help you with that," He said as she sat down on the mattress with her back turned to him. Pushing her hair away, he zipped her up with no trouble at all. Sandy left a kiss on her soft skin as soon as he was finished.

"Thanks." Kirsten turned to face him as she smiled her gratitude. "You know, you really shouldn't do that." She tilted her head to the side, talking about that kiss that left lingering warmth on her skin.

"Why not?"

She blushed. "I… I don't know. I just don't think you should. I'm sure…" Kirsten paused. "Actually, I'm not really sure of anything at the moment."

Sandy nodded. Taking a risk, he reached for her hand and tucked it beneath his larger one. "I'll tell you one thing I'm sure of, though." A finger slowly stroked the delicate flesh as he looked at her straight in the eyes.

"What's that?" Kirsten asked, not feeling at all compelled to pull her hand away from his grasp.

"I've never had such a wonderful evening before, Kirsten." Sandy said quietly, emotions flickering through his deep blue eyes. He looked down at their entwined hands, and he squeezed her tiny one. "Thank you for that."

She grinned, immediately brightening the pensive mood that had dawned upon the two of them. "Well, I can say that I can fully return the compliment, Sandy." Kirsten hinted shyly, squeezing Sandy's hand back.

Looking almost bashful, Sandy cleared his throat. As he searched for the words he wanted to say to her, he waited until he had her utmost attention. He really did not know how he was going to say this, and he was conflicted. Last night, he had promised her that this was just going to be a one-night thing. She didn't want anything more and she didn't want to make things complicated. But here he was, sitting in front of her and thinking of something to say so that she wouldn't leave. Sandy was afraid that if he let her go, he wouldn't see her again, even if that meant going against all the promises he drew up with her before they spent the night together.

"Kirsten…" Sandy began hesitantly, unsure whether he should look at her directly, or look away. He finally settled for looking at their still-joined hands, and he resumed caressing the back of her hand. "I… I know you want this to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing…" He trailed off, noticing how her hand suddenly tensed beneath his touch. This compelled him to look at her pretty face, and he saw the conflicting emotions in her eyes.

"Hear me out. Please." He squeezed her hand again and looked at her earnestly, waiting until she finally nodded her consent. "I know you're focusing on your studies right now. So am I, by the way. We're pretty busy with school, and having a relationship will probably just be a distraction."

Kirsten couldn't agree more. She started to relax, but was still curious as to which direction he was taking this conversation to.

Sandy took a deep breath. "So, we're on the same boat. I'm not ready for a relationship right now, and I certainly am not looking for anything permanent." Kirsten thought she heard bitterness in Sandy's voice, making her wonder if what he said he wanted had something to do with the last girl he was with. But she let it slide, and he continued onwards. "So, why don't we just share… _this_?"

"This?"

"This." He gestured around the mail truck, and the slept-in mattress with the tangled sheets. "You know."

"You mean, like, have an affair?"

"Affair, tryst." Sandy let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding in. "I don't know what you want to call it. But… it was good, what we did here last night. We had fun while it lasted, right? And, you know, it's kind of safe."

"Safe?" Kirsten looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Look, I know you weren't seeking for anything more than this. You can say the same thing about me." He explained, lifting his other hand to tilt her chin up so that she would meet his eyes. "We aren't looking for relationships, and that means there's no pressure, leaving us to just… enjoy. This. Don't you feel any excitement, Kirsten? Don't you get a thrill out of… of something that you normally don't do?"

She didn't answer for a while, leading Sandy to think that maybe he phrased things the wrong way, and that she didn't understand what he was trying to say. He couldn't express how relieved he felt when she finally spoke.

"Yes… this is… exciting." Kirsten answered hesitantly. Her answer was honest, but she was unsure whether it was the right thing to tell him. "And, yeah, I don't… this isn't something I usually do."

"Same goes for me."

"So…" She tilted her head to the side in a questioning manner. "That's your plan?"

Sandy couldn't believe it. It was as if Kirsten was seriously considering what he was suggesting. He knew that he had yet to completely win her over, though. He could sense the hesitance and the confusion in her voice. He sat in thoughtful silence, thinking of how their affair was going to work.

"I'm… well, wait." He left Kirsten confused as he stood up and made his way to her little table. Sandy easily found a piece of scrap paper and a pen, and he began to write something down in a rapid manner. Not being able to stand the suspense, Kirsten stood up and went to sit next to him, looking over his hand to read what he had written.

She saw a whirl of days, hours and… courses? Even more puzzled, she had to ask. "Sandy, what's this?" Kirsten inquired, her curiosity piqued. Sandy chose to not answer her, opting to finish off whatever he was writing before he looked up and smiled at her. He folded the paper into half, and slid it in front of her.

"My class schedule. See when we have free periods that might intersect. Then… we could get together. Here, if you want. Safely." Sandy nodded at her seriously, and she understood what that comment meant. Looking away from his handsome face, she gazed at the paper and unfolded it, absentmindedly scanning his timetable.

"No pressure…" Kirsten murmured to herself, and Sandy felt a surge of hope in his chest.

"That's right." He said convincingly. "This is just for ourselves. No other expectations other than when we are finally alone by ourselves. We just enjoy each other. Think of it as… as a one night stand that goes on and on."

Kirsten sighed. "I don't know, Sandy. This… what we had last night was amazing." She blushed at the memory of it. It was definitely a night she wouldn't be forgetting in a long, long time. "But I don't know if I could just… schedule something like that. It's just so…"

"Perfect." Sandy wasn't ready to give up, not when he could tell that Kirsten was on the verge of agreeing. If she wasn't, he definitely wasn't going to persuade her. She may have her apprehensions, but he could tell that this was something she was rather interested in.

"I'm not seeing anyone serious at the moment. Are you?"

She shook her head.

He looked quietly triumphant. "See. Like I said, it's perfect! Consider it as… a treat. Something you give to yourself, like a, say, a trip to the spa." Sandy sounded so happy about this that Kirsten couldn't help but be charmed. She giggled.

"You know what I mean." He was rambling, and she still found it charming. Sandy realized he sounded too enthusiastic and toned it down a notch. "No one has to know, Kirsten. And if we meet someone in our personal lives that we want to be serious about, then that's it. But other than that, it goes on for as long as we want it to go on."

"I don't know, Sandy…"

"Kirsten," He cut her off, all playfulness gone from his voice. He went serious for a moment, feeling bad that he seemed to be pressuring her about this. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to push you, but…" Sandy reached for the piece of stationery, and just touched it. Both sets of blue eyes looked at that fateful paper for a lingering moment, before Sandy spoke up again. "Just keep this. Please. I just want you to know that it's all up to you."

Looking as if he had something in mind, Sandy gently pulled the paper from Kirsten and wrote something else on it. She strained to read what it was, but she couldn't see what he was writing clearly. Until, finally, he refolded the paper and handed it back to her.

"That's my New York address. Where I'll be staying for a few days." He explained the moment he saw her curious expression morph into one of puzzlement. Kirsten didn't quite understand why Sandy was giving her his address in New York, of all places.

"But… why?" She managed to let out in the midst of her confusion.

"Just keep it." He told her softly, cupping her hand again. "Now you know where to find me."

* * *

_If reviews are sex, then you guys are the only ones who would be able to satisfy me. Heh. I'd love to know what you think!_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note (12/30):**__ I am so sorry it took me forever to update. I know I said I'd update over the Christmas holidays, but the situation was beyond my control. My service provider had some problems, and it's been nine days since I've actually had internet!__ Is that crazy or what? I thought I was going to go insane without it, but thank God for computer Solitaire. Anyway, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, you guys! I hope you've all enjoyed your holidays. Don't forget to leave me a nice review - you know, give me something to look forward to until my internet decides to start working again! _

_**Author's Note (01/02):** I'm back! About time, too! Oh, and thank you so much to **SandyKirsten **and **4everKandy** for the private messages you guys sent me. It makes me really happy to know that there are people looking forward to my updates! **SandyKirsten**, I'm afraid I don't have five chapters written in advance, but, hey, you have this update, right? And **4everKandy**, you'll find out about that in this chapter! So, enjoy! _

_**Disclaimer**__: Still not mine, even though, you know, it's been almost a year since we've had new episodes of _The O.C._ Damn, I miss it._

* * *

**STOLEN**

* * *

"Rissa, you know I can't." Kirsten rolled her eyes as she balanced the wireless phone against her shoulder and flashed a quick smile at her boss' assistant. She continued to flip through the catalogue she was browsing through and made some notes on the pieces that were printed on the glossy paper. Although it was Thanksgiving, there was still a lot of paperwork to do at the art gallery she was part-timing in. Plus, with most of her co-workers gone for the holiday, she was more than eager to volunteer for the extra hours. Not that she didn't need the money—she knew her father would disapprove when he knew, but it was a little something that Kirsten wanted to do for herself.

Her pink lips curled upwards at the desperation in her friend's voice. "Look, I've already volunteered to cover everyone's shift here in the gallery for the holidays." She stated matter-of-factly. "There's no one else around to take care of stuff. Besides, you'll have much more fun without me." _Especially considering how your last party went_, she thought to herself. Larissa, who wasn't going home for the holidays, had just suggested that they drive out of town to 'have some fun', the meaning of which Kirsten knew all too well.

"Well, you'll have Paul around. I'd just be a third wheel if I go with you guys, so you're really better off without me." Not to mention, it would really be awkward to relive the reality that was the night of Larissa's memorable party. Unfortunately for her, Larissa and Paul's screams hadn't faded in her memories.

"I promise I'll go next time, okay?" It's only been a few hours since that night happened, but Kirsten still hadn't confessed to her best friend what exactly happened between her and Sandy. She'd meant to, but she ended up merely telling her that she went out for coffee after the party. Besides, she reasoned out with herself that telling Larissa wouldn't be such a good idea. Her friend would just hound her on seeing Sandy again, so she was definitely better off not knowing.

" Oh, and Larissa?" Kirsten said sweetly. "Next time, I thought you should know that it'd help if you don't tell me at the very last minute."

She was still laughing at how disgruntled Larissa was moments later, after she'd hung up the phone. Her daily dose of Larissa was exactly what she needed. She was feeling more positive, despite the amount of work she had to do. No matter what her best friend said or did, Kirsten always felt much better after talking to her.

Kirsten spun around in her seat and closed her eyes, intending to rest her eyes. Instead, Sandy's sexy grin appeared came to mind, as it had been happening since he left. Memories of that fateful night filled her head, and she allowed herself to entertain them for a little while. His kisses that left her breathless; his hot breath on her ear and on other places that made her blush; the tongue that left lingering patterns as it left deliciously wet trails on her skin, his incredible body, slick and sweaty against hers; the way they moved together as their bodies joined as one; the way he breathed her name as he reached his high…

When she finally opened her eyes, she was disoriented, flushed and flustered.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon when Kirsten finally had the time to get up from her chair and stretch. When she signed up for this job, she never realized there was so much paperwork involved in running an art gallery. She was almost numb with fatigue—the kind that came from hours of sitting in a chair without getting up at all.

Her boss' assistant, looking as weary as Kirsten was feeling, appeared in the doorway. "Hey, Kirsten, Some guy named Caleb Nichol is looking for you."

Needless to say, this snapped Kirsten out of her lethargic trance. She hadn't even told her Dad that she was working in an art gallery, though she shouldn't be so surprised. With the power Caleb Nichol had over California, she was sure all it took was a snap of his finger to find her here.

"He's _here_?" She started freaking out, her eyes widening in horror. "I should have known he didn't take my no all too well. He's probably here to take me back to Newport to spend Thanksgiving with the family, and… and—" And how else was she going to explain to her father about her part-time job which she knew he wouldn't really approve of?

Samantha just rolled her eyes. "Not here, silly." She held up the wireless phone in her hand. "On the phone. Catch." Without further warning, she tossed the phone in Kirsten's direction. Thanks to her frazzled nerves, her reflexes were quick, and she caught the phone like a pro.

"Thanks." She said to Samantha's retreating back. _For nothing_.

Kirsten took a deep breath before lifting the phone to her ear. "Dad! Hey. Happy Thanksgiving! You know, you didn't have to call me—I promised I'd call you in time for dinner. This is what—"

"KiKi."

She sighed dejectedly at the sound of her father's gruff tone over the phone. Her balloon deflated as quickly as it was inflated. "Dad."

"I didn't know you were part-timing in an art gallery." Caleb said cryptically, making his daughter sit down on her chair.

"Dad, I meant to…"

"Is your allowance not enough?" Caleb didn't sound too pleased at the situation. "Imagine my surprise when I tried to call you at your dormitory, only to have your roommate Marissa pick up the phone and explain to me that you were caught up with your paperwork there at the gallery."

She had seen this coming for ages already, but she didn't think it would have to be this way—him finding out from someone else.

"Dad, its Larissa. And my allowance is more than enough. I just… I just did it for the experience." It was the genuine reason, but she knew how the argument would sound weak to her father's ears. He knew of her dream to build her own art gallery, but whenever she brought it up, he always changed the conversation. In his mind, Caleb Nichol's daughter wasn't just going to run her art gallery. She was the future CEO of the company he built.

Kirsten heard her father sigh on the phone. "If it's experience you wanted, KiKi, why didn't you bring it up? I would've gotten you an internship with The Newport Group's partner companies there in Berkeley. I'd say that would be experience enough for when you take over my position."

He was pressuring her, and she knew it. Kirsten's temples were beginning to throb, and she massaged them in an attempt to ease her headache away. No such luck. "Dad, let's not talk about this. Why are you calling, anyway?" She said light-heartedly, trying to take off the tension in their conversation. "Let me guess: Hailey couldn't wait to talk to me." Her lips curled at her adorable little sister. When Kirsten was home, they didn't get on too well, but when she left for college, the sibling rivalry dissipated between the two of them.

"That's one reason, though I made her understand you were going to call her tonight."

The statement left her confused. "What's going on? Why can't you just put her on the phone now so she'll stop pestering you and Mom?"

Caleb heaved another sigh. And when Caleb Nichol sighed, it was never a good thing. "KiKi, your mother…"

Kirsten couldn't explain the loneliness that overcame her after that one word. Her mother meant everything to her. It had broken her heart to hear that Rose Nichol was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. It made it harder for Kirsten to continue her studies in Berkeley, but Rose had persuaded her to go and follow her dreams, with the promise that they would keep in touch often. It was a weekly habit they had, talking on the phone every Sunday evening.

"What... what's wrong with Mom? Isn't her chemotherapy working?" Kirsten hesitated, almost afraid to know the answer. She hated that she couldn't be there for her Mom whenever she went through those sessions, but Hailey had promised her sister that she would look after their mother in Kirsten's absence.

There was a pregnant pause before Caleb finally answered. "She's not getting any better." It sounded as if it took a lot of courage for Caleb Nichol to say that. He was a formidable, powerful man, but Kirsten knew that beyond all those qualities, her father was scared of losing the only woman he ever truly loved.

He cleared his throat. "But the doctors think she still has a chance of making a full recovery, or at the very least, give her more time to…" _Live_, both father and daughter completed the sentence silently. "There's been recent development, and they think your mother is a perfect candidate for it."

"Well, that sounds great, Dad!" Kirsten mustered up enough enthusiasm for this news, even though what she was hearing about her mother was making her heart feel heavy. "I mean, that's good news, right?"

On the other end of the line, Caleb couldn't help but smile to himself at hearing Kirsten's happiness. More often than not, he always felt she grew up too fast and became distant from him. It was times like these, however, when she seemed to turn back into the little girl that she once was, who was excited about her first project—restoring an old building that was about to be torn down. He could remember it like it happened just yesterday.

His blue eyes, so identical to his daughter's own, rested on the sleeping figure of his wife. Even though her treatments took its toll on her appearance, she was still beautiful in his eyes. Chemotherapy wasn't going to change what he thought. He just felt hatred towards himself for pushing her away all these years while he was busy with The Newport Group. Now, it seemed as if the time they had together was very little. Their only hope was this new breakthrough, and even so, it wasn't a hundred percent certain that it was going to take Rose, _his_ Rose, out of the woods.

"Dad?"

Caleb shook his head, snapping out of the light trance he found himself in as he remembered his daughter on the phone. Before focusing on his conversation, he took another look at Rose and smiled to himself. He was going to do everything he could to make her happy, no matter what it took.

"You really need to stop this nonsense of yours, working in that art gallery, and in _Berkeley_, of all places." Caleb said in his usual no-nonsense tone, as if he never spaced out in the first place. He didn't even try to hide his distaste at the place his daughter chose to pursue her studies in.

Kirsten rolled her eyes. "Dad, Mom wanted me to continue studying here. We've talked about this already, remember?" Sometimes, well, okay, most of the time, her father could be so stubborn.

"I know," Her father sounded defeated, she couldn't help but smile. "And if it were only up to me, you'd be studying elsewhere, with a certain someone, like it was originally intended to be." He was talking about Jimmy, of course. There was no other boy Caleb was fonder of than Jimmy Cooper, and he made no secret of his desire to hopefully call him son someday. "But you know how your mother can be, KiKi." Caleb's tone softened down a notch as he uttered the next sentence. "And she needs you." He left a lingering pause, letting his words sink in.

This time, it was Kirsten who sighed. She buried her head in the hand that wasn't holding the phone as she thought some things out. It was a Thursday, Thanksgiving. She supposed she could fly to Newport after her shift ended, and she'd be there in time for Thanksgiving dinner. She could fly back to Berkeley late Sunday afternoon. She'd be back in time so she wouldn't have to miss her classes, and while she was at it, she could spend a few days with her family. It would be good to see her mother, and she was sure Hailey would be happy to have some bonding time with her big sister.

She finally lifted her head from the desk. "Okay, Dad. I've thought it out and I've decided to spend the holidays in Newport after all." Kirsten bit her lip, waiting to hear the delighted tone in her father's voice. She was not disappointed when it came, but Caleb dropped another bomb on her.

"Oh, but we're not in Newport, KiKi. The doctors had to fly your mother to New York. It made more sense for us to go there, rather than have them ship their facilities to us."

New York. Kirsten's head started to spin. New York. Frenzied, she looked through her purse and found that piece of paper that had been haunting her thoughts since this morning. There it was, in his nearly-illegible handwriting. She remembered his words from earlier that morning.

_"That's my New York address. Now you know where to find me."_

What did all this mean? She never mentioned about her mother's illness to him last night, and even if she did, there was no way he could know that her Dad and her Mom were flying out there for treatments.

New York.

Sandy Cohen.

No. She wasn't going to go to New York for him. So what if they were in the same place at the same time? She'd already decided that it was just going to be a one-time thing, even though that little piece of paper was making her think otherwise. Besides, she would be spending time with her mother, and it wasn't going to leave much time for her to fool around with him.

"KiKi? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, Dad. Sorry. What were you saying?"

"I said, I'm going to send the plane for you. It wouldn't be there for a couple more hours, so you'll have enough time to pack." Caleb didn't even realize how the fact that they were in New York was making his daughter have second thoughts, but Kirsten didn't have the heart anymore to turn him down. Instead, she nodded to herself. "Okay, Dad. I guess I'll see you in a few hours."

"Good. You might want to call your sister too, while you're waiting for the plane. We decided to leave her in Newport, since there was no one to take care of her while we're here. She's too young to be in the hospital, and we didn't want to leave her all alone at the apartment."

It was typical of her father to do such thing, but Kirsten's heart went out to her sister who was spending Thanksgiving all on her own.

"Okay, I'll call before I leave. I have to go now. Bye."

"Bye."

As Caleb flipped his mobile phone shut, he saw that Rose was awake. She smiled weakly and gestured that he sit beside her.

"Who was that?" She asked, once her husband had settled himself on the stool beside her bed.

The smile on Caleb's face was mysterious. "You'll find out soon enough."

* * *

_What do you think of this chapter? Live up to your expectations? Turned out the way you thought it would? Did I do the Caleb/Rose okay? I know there isn't a lot of Sandy/Kirsten in this chapter, but I still hope you guys enjoyed! Let me know!_


	8. Chapter 8: Interlude

_**Re-Titled**____: Changing the title of this fic has always been on my mind from the very first chapter. While some of you do like _Stolen, ___and it's already established itself with that title, I've never been pleased with it because I just came up with it on a whim – when I was about to post the first chapter!__ Anyway, changing the title doesn't affect the plot of this fanfic at all, so I hope you don't mind the change._

___**Author's Note**__: This chapter is kind of an interlude more than anything. I planned on including a whole lot of stuff here, something to do with a six-letter word that starts with a B , __but I__ couldn't get the words to flow right, hence why it's shorter than usual. So, there's not much here that's going to move the story along, but I thought I'd make up for the lack of Kandy in the last chapter. I promise the next chapter will be a whole lot better._

___**Disclaimer:**__ I think **Ansy Pansy** puts it well. __Schwartza__ Claus – genius__ term_. But, yeah, no. Not mine. _Title from the song by Bright Eyes._

* * *

**LOVER I DON'T HAVE TO LOVE**

* * *

"Just leave them there, please." Kirsten couldn't help but feel awkward as she addressed the doorman who had just helped her with her suitcases all the way to the Nichol's penthouse suite on the Upper East Side. While she supposed it made things a whole lot easier for her, she never really liked having to be waited on.

As Jim the doorman set her bags down in the hallway, Kirsten wandered towards the living room, where all the curtains were drawn. She frowned disapprovingly and began to push the heavy fabric aside, letting New York's magical lights gleam through the huge picture window, illuminating the room. She smiled. That was so much better.

Jim's voice broke the silence. "Is there anything else you need, Miss?" She turned to find him still standing where she left him, her bags arranged in a neat pile against the door.

"No, nothing that I can think of, Jim." Kirsten paused, her eyebrows furrowing in hesitation. "Well, not at the moment."

"Very well. You know where to reach me, Miss Nichol. I will just be downstairs." Jim said in his standard formal tone. He bowed slightly and turned around to walk out of the suite. Kirsten called out her thanks, and then all of a sudden, she was all alone in the apartment.

It was kind of odd. People have been waiting on her for most of her life, but it only took a few semesters at Berkeley to make her forget how it was like. She'd become so used to doing everything by herself (with the occasional help from Larissa) that she found that she was actually enjoying being like any other human rather than live the California royalty lifestyle she was born into.

Kirsten twirled around to look out of the window. Even when she was a little girl, she had always loved the place, with all its beautiful lights at night and the hustle and bustle of big-city life. As the bright lights from neighboring buildings mirrored themselves in her blue eyes, she couldn't help but think that Sandy Cohen most likely had his own light out there somewhere, in a world away from the Upper East Side and Newport Beach.

She had managed not to think about him from the moment she arrived in New York, to the time she got to her building. Okay, so maybe that was only thirty minutes, an hour at most, but it was a start. Once she walked inside the lobby, she had paused by the receptionist, debating with herself whether to leave Sandy a message that she was in town. Kirsten had managed to resist, but who knew what little it took for her to change her mind? There was every bit of a chance that they would bump into each other in some way – after all, didn't circumstances bring her to New York, the city she knew he was in?

It had to mean something.

Now, as she made her way to the bathroom for a shower before going to see her mother, Kirsten's mind began to wonder. Maybe it was best if she was the one to initiate their meeting, let them meet under her terms. With just a few days before they were to go back to Berkeley, and to real life, she was sure Sandy would hardly have time for anything else other than a cup of coffee.

As thoughts continued to plague her mind, she couldn't help but notice how taking her clothes off made her feel rather excited, like… like, she was stripping for Sandy. _No._ Kirsten tried to reason out with herself that it was fatigue that caused her skin to feel this way, like it was overly sensitive to every touch. She could've sworn her nipples were hard when she slid the fabric of her top off her body…

Kirsten stepped under the steady pour of the shower, reaching out to twist the water temperature knob to cold. She took a sponge, squirted some of her favourite blueberry shower gel on it before lathering it all over her body. The sooner she'd get out of this apartment and be in the company of other people, the better for her. She didn't want to be left alone with her thoughts any longer, not when they were all about him.

Still, the more she thought about it, the more her plan seemed perfect. If she saw Sandy Cohen one last time, she would be able to finally start thinking clearly and put all these fantasies… whatever he was evoking within her, behind her. After all, the last time she saw him, he was wearing _nothing _but that sexy grin of his. Maybe all she needed was to see him out in public, with clothes on.

Sexy grin… more than welcome.

Sandy took her into his arms and began kissing her so ardently that it left her breathless and wanting for more. He pinned her against the bathroom's tiled wall, not caring how cold it felt to Kirsten's bare back. That was the last thing she had on her mind anyway, too distracted by his kisses. His mouth moved past her lips, along her jaw line, down on her swan-like neck, and then finally on the flushed skin of her chest, where he left a flurry of kisses all over.

She let out a breathless moan, encouraging Sandy to take one of her perky breasts into his mouth. Sandy lifted those piercing blue eyes and looked at her while he nipped and sucked gently at the rosy flesh. Kirsten gripped a handful of his hair and steered him towards her other nipple, which was begging for his intimate attention. As he tenderly kissed the very tip of her breast, his hand slowly cascaded down her body and cupped her sex, loving the gasp that escaped from her lips. Kirsten attempted to fight down her growing urges, to no avail, as she held her heavy breathing and waited for his next move.

Sandy continued to lavish his attention on her breast as a lone finger tantalizingly traced over her lower lips. He loved it that she was already wet, but he decided to continue teasing her anyway, enjoying seeing her squirm at his heavy petting. The finger moved on to rub lightly against her clit, eliciting yet another moan. Kirsten buried her face into his neck, distractedly nipping at his skin as she gyrated against his finger. "Sandy…" She murmured into his skin, not certain of how much of this she could take anymore.

Just when she thought things couldn't get any better, Sandy took her by surprise when he pulled back abruptly. Before she could give him a chance to explain himself, he began trailing kisses down her body, until he was kneeling in front of her, water still pouring all over their bodies. He lifted her leg and hooked it around his shoulder, giving him greater access to her core. Then, giving her that wickedly sexy smile of his, he drew his lips closer to where he knew she wanted it the most…

Gasping, Kirsten's eyes shot open, disoriented to find herself in an empty bathroom. She realized that she must've simply been fantasizing, but everything seemed so vivid, it was as if Sandy had just been there moments before. Her free hand was clutching the shower's railings tightly, while the hand with the loofah was lingering teasingly just between her legs. Breathing heavily, she attempted to resume washing herself, trying to recover and calm herself down, but with the intensity of her fantasy and the vividness of the erotic images in her mind…

Oh, what the heck. She needed this.

The loofah fell to the bathroom floor, completely forgotten about.

* * *

_Dear Sandy,_

_Something unexpected brought me to New York and I was wondering if you'd like to get together for a quick hello and, maybe a cup of coffee? _

_Yours, _

_Kirsten_

* * *

Kirsten folded the piece of stationary, wrote his name and his address on the front side, and handed it to Jim. 

"Can you deliver this for me after you drop me off to the hospital?" She was going to the hospital where her mother was currently checked in, and they were going to have a Thanksgiving dinner together. It didn't matter that they were celebrating in a hospital, but what Kirsten felt worse about was knowing that Hailey wasn't around to share this holiday with them.

The doorman nodded, looking rather pleased to know that he was going to be able to do something for Kirsten. "Of course." Kirsten thanked him before letting him open the door to her Town Car. She smiled at him uneasily, and as he shut the door behind her, she told herself in a whisper, "It's just coffee."

He might not even call her back.

* * *

___Well, what are you waiting for? Tell me what you think! I know it's not much, but smut is undeniable, right?_

___Oh, and anyone want to guess what the six-letter __**B **__ word is? It's a reference to the show__, very important, and it's going to be responsible for a lot of __things__ in the next (few?) chapters. **britgirl2003**, **cohenwannabe **(and probably **JennylovesKandy**, too), you guys can't guess__, since you guys __figured it out already. ;)_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note:**__ I am SO sorry this took so long. It wasn't that I didn't know where to go with this __fanfic__, but school's been draining my soul these past few weeks that it was immensely difficult to sit down and just write without feeling guilty about homework I haven't done. This is the first free weekend I've had in so long._

_Anyway, I hope this will be worth the wait. Almost 4000 words! I am on a roll. This chapter truly makes up for the lack of Kandy in the last two chapters, so if this doesn't appease you, I don't know what else will! Hopefully this will also tide you guys over until I can put up the next chapter. My classes end February 29, so maybe that wouldn't be so long of a wait. Three months of no school whatsoever – I'd have time to update this regularly. __Yay__! So, yes, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to let me know what you think. I live for reviews. _

_Thank you to _SandyKirsten_ for a little help with this __fic__. Also, there are __shoutouts__ for _britgirl2003_ and _viper209n_, just because you guys deserve it._

_**Disclaimer**__: Haven't we been through this already? Not mine, not mine.  
_

* * *

**LOVER I DON'T HAVE TO LOVE**

* * *

"Oh, God." Kirsten murmured under her breath when she returned to the apartment several hours later, only to find the new message light blinking on her answering machine. _Sandy_. It had to be him. Her steps were hesitant as she approached the telephone, her hand trembling as it reached out for the _Play_ button.

She pulled back before she could push it. Suddenly, Kirsten wasn't so sure she was ready to hear Sandy's voice, even if it was a recording. What did she expect anyway? The note was a bad move on her part, and she mentally berated herself for it. Sandy was probably wondering why she didn't call him directly.

What if Sandy turned her down? She wouldn't know how to live with that decision, knowing that she made the first move. But at the same time, Kirsten couldn't help but feel some sense of dread. Maybe Sandy wasn't really like how he was that fateful night? Maybe it was just the alcohol that made him seem so sexy and wonderful to her.

_Oh, this is ridiculous. Just hit that button, Kirsten!_

"Get over yourself." She told herself. She had a lot of excuses to cancel on him should she need to. She could tell him that she had to fly away so soon and wouldn't be able to meet him. Slightly reassured, Kirsten reached for the button again and before she could talk herself out of it, she pressed _Play_.

"_Kirsten_."

_Oh, my God_. It was just the first word, and yet it already sent waves of pleasure through her body. Kirsten remembered all too vividly how he moaned out her name just moments before he climaxed powerfully. She struggled not to moan, but she could already feel herself becoming wet. Damn Sandy Cohen for being so undeniable.

"_I've been thinking about you, hoping you'd find the nerve to get in touch with me."_

Kirsten frowned. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to think at that. Should she be offended he had the nerve to suggest that she lacked nerve? In fact, she thought she was being brave, making the first move like that just mere hours after their encounter back at Berkeley.

"_Anyway, there's this little place just around your apartment __called The Bagel Mill Café __where__ I heard the bagels are really good._"

Bagels? She couldn't help it – she laughed at that. So much for a repeat of their last romantic rendezvous. _Not that you wanted one_, she reminded herself almost immediately. _But bagels_? An invitation for bagels was hardly a plan of seduction. _You should be relieved_. Maybe Sandy had come to his senses and drawn the same conclusion as her – one night was enough, another encounter was asking for trouble.

"_I've already made plans with my brother for tomorrow. So, if you don't mind being up early, we can meet there at eight in the morning? Just leave me a message if you can't make it._" He left his number.

A pause lingered in the air, and Kirsten's finger moved from the _Play_ to the _Erase_ button, contemplating… well, maybe it was actually on the _Replay _button. His voice sounded as mysteriously seductive as she could remember, and in fact, she was daydreaming about some of the noises he emitted that night. That is, until he continued further with his message that made her withdraw her hand.

"_If you have to turn me down, will you please leave me a voice message?_" Sandy requested, his voice softening with every word. "_I just wanted to make sure you sound as good as I remember._"

Kirsten sighed. Sandy left a good message, no doubt about it. Even bagels and all.

"_Don't chicken out._"

She was still glaring at the answering machine, even after she heard the beep that ended his message. Chicken out? That was definitely not in her plans. Her prepared excuse for canceling out was merely just in case she needed something.

She didn't.

"Chicken out?" Kirsten grumbled, turning away from the phone. "I'm a Nichol. I _never_ chicken out."

* * *

The Bagel Mill Café turned out to be one of those little surprises that make you fall in love with New York even more. It was a cozy restaurant just a few minutes' walk from the Nichol's apartment, and the place itself emitted a casual atmosphere filled with warmth. Despite her initial hesitations, Kirsten felt immediately comfortable as she opened the door and stepped inside. 

Her blue eyes surveyed her surroundings, looking for the man she had been longing to see for what seemed like such a long time. _There he is!_ Only the back of his head was visible to her, but Kirsten happened to be very familiar with that head, especially when she kept imagining it between her…

"Okay, stop it. No thinking about… that." She scolded herself as she had since her moment in the shower last night. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, unable to believe that she, Kirsten Nichol, had to resort to pleasuring herself. Just one night with Sandy Cohen, and it was as if it didn't take too much for her to become aroused.

As if he sensed her arrival, Sandy turned in his seat and immediately locked eyes with her. She froze on the spot, suddenly finding it hard to continue walking further in his direction. He was exactly how she remembered him just over two days ago.

"Kirsten."

Voice, too. And that sexy grin she had been fantasizing about last night, as well.

He looked incredible. Perfect. Really just how she remembered him… maybe even better. She had to talk herself out of wondering what else he could possibly be better at.

"Sandy." Why did she have to sound so breathless? Her steps became more and more unsure as she approached him, and a nervous smile flickered on her lips. The moment that she was standing in front of him, she immediately held out her hand, just in case he was planning on hugging her. Not that she was completely against the idea, but hugging involved more physical contact, and she wasn't so sure she could handle it with the state she was currently in.

For the millionth time since she sent Sandy that note, Kirsten was beginning to wonder whether this was the right thing to do after all. But she caught sight of that mischievous glint in Sandy's blue eyes, and was surprised at how she easily understood what he was saying without words.

_Don't chicken out._

Oh, please. _Like I would._

With a new confidence within her, Kirsten stepped forward and shook his hand in a firm grip, then immediately let go. She smiled at him before moving past to sit down in the seat opposite him. As Sandy sat back down, she immediately opened the menu and browsed the items on the page, although they were mostly a blur to her. It felt so awkward meeting Sandy like this, after the wild night she spent with him at the back of her mail truck. Then again, it wasn't as if she'd ever done this before.

Her smile was tight as she looked anywhere but at him. She could do this. She could continue to keep up this act of hers and then get out of here the first opportunity she can, before she could do something she might regret. Like, say, ending up in bed with him again. But there was one thing that was contradicting all the thoughts in her mind: Kirsten couldn't think of _why_ she felt her one-night stand with this man was such a bad thing.

"So," She looked at him briefly before avoiding his eyes again. "Bagels, huh? This isn't exactly the place I'd expect you to frequent." Kirsten unconsciously twirled the ends of her hair around her finger as she took a better look at the interior of the restaurant. While it was homely, it did have a posh, expensive feel to it that made the place seem aloof to people like Sandy. At the back of her mind, she wondered whether she should put their meal on a tab.

Before she could make a final decision, Sandy spoke up. "Actually, my brother worked here for a long time. Well, as far as I could remember he has always worked here, and he used to take me when Mum was too busy with a case." He nodded at her, acknowledging one of the few things about his mum he shared to Kirsten during their previous conversation. "I got along well with the guys here. In fact, still friends with most of them." As he said this, he caught the eye of one of the waiters and gave him a smile.

Kirsten was surprised at how their brief conversation eased her frazzled nerves. She could feel herself becoming more relaxed and comfortable around him despite making a pact with herself to be on guard. It was like that coffee shop all over again.

"I love bagels." She shared with a more genuine smile. "We don't get to have them often for some reason, so whenever we get to eat them, it's usually a big deal to me." _Like this morning_, she added to herself.

As if he was reading her mind, Sandy grinned. "Well, this morning will be a big deal to you. You'll never feel the same way about bagels after you've tasted the ones from here." He beamed excitedly, looking like a little kid that she found him so adorable right then and there. "And you'll never want to go by a day without having them."

Kirsten challenged him back. "Oh, yeah? What makes you so sure about that?" She shook her head amusedly at him before turning back to her menu. This time, she was really browsing it, not merely using it as a distraction device. "I didn't think you could do so much with bagels." She told him, amazed at the extensive list of bagel varieties that the restaurant had to offer.

There was a sheepish smile on Sandy's face as he tugged her menu down. "I hope you don't mind, Kirsten. But I've actually ordered ahead for us." He admitted, suddenly feeling apprehensive that the gesture might've turned her off. In actuality, there were different thoughts running through Kirsten's head. There was a part of her that was offended at this, but it happened to be a very small part. Her thoughts had drifted off to wondering what else he could take charge of, like, say, her.

She shook her head, attempting to eliminate the lustful thoughts from her head. "Sure, I don't mind." Kirsten swallowed nervously, clearing her throat that felt dry all of a sudden.

A waitress dropped by their table to take Kirsten's drink order, and was back in a flash with a tall glass of orange juice for her. "Your food should be here any minute." She announced, to which Sandy grinned and winked at her. In turn, the waitress giggled, directing her attention on him and completely ignoring Kirsten. "In fact, I'm about to go get them right now."

Kirsten had to fight to stop herself from smiling, but Sandy noticed almost immediately.

"What?" He prodded, looking amused.

"Hmm. Nothing." She replied, a picture of mock-innocence.

Sandy quirked an impressive eyebrow at her, immediately seeing through her playful façade. "Okay, just what did I do this time?"

She relented. "You're such a flirt!"

His grin didn't do anything to deny her accusation. "Oh, that. I'm just friendly."

_That__ you are_, Kirsten was tempted to retort back at him, but that would be treading into dangerous waters.

"Besides." Sandy shrugged, not waiting for a response, his eyes searching out for their waitress. "She's practically old enough to be my mother." He told her, grinning.

Kirsten looked skeptical at that particular statement. "This is merely a guess, but something tells me age doesn't exactly matter to you. Or, to the women…" She waved her hand in the direction of the waitress, letting him complete her thought.

He nodded thoughtfully. "Generally speaking, you're right." As the waitress finally caught his eye, he nodded again, sending the matronly lady blushing red. Kirsten could see her straightening up her apron and standing upright before balancing the tray of food. It almost made her laugh. "To me, it's not really about age. It's the personality."

Kirsten took a ladylike sip of her orange juice and thought about that. Not that she'd been to a lot of dates before, but Sandy's words made sense. She'd dated a few good-looking water polo players, and then there was Jimmy, who was lanky and more average-looking than the rest of them. She supposed personality and attitude _were_ factors in attraction.

Sandy smiled at her, noting her momentary silence. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Kirsten laughed and clasped her hands on her lap. "You just make me think about things in a new light." She told him honestly. _See, Kirsten, you can have a conversation with Sandy, and it doesn't have to be sexual_.

"If I may recall, that was how one thing led to the other the last time we were sitting like this."

Okay. So it _was_ sexual. Thankfully she was spared from responding to that comment with the arrival of their food. Her gaze widened at the sight of all the food on the tray.

"God, Sandy!" She exclaimed, still gaping at the massive amounts of food. "We have enough food to feed an army!"

The waitress carefully laid out the food on the table. There weren't just bagels of every kind possible, but there were also a variety of fresh fruits and a few stacks of pancakes, among other breakfast foods. Kirsten wasn't sure how she and Sandy were going to eat all of it.

As she looked back up at Sandy, she found him smiling back at her. "It would be a shame if you missed out on all the good stuff." He said simply.

Kirsten had to admit to herself, everything looked so wonderful. She took another long, good look at every plate on the table and looked helpless. "I don't know where to begin!"

"Amazing, isn't it?" His eyes were sparkling, obviously delighted that he had managed to sweep this girl off her feet for the second time in a row.

"If only my mother could serve breakfast every day like this, I think I would have a happier childhood!" She said light-heartedly, sorting through all the plates before taking a smeared bagel for herself. Sandy merely smiled at her and took a stack of blueberry pancakes for himself.

His interest or lack thereof, made her pause. Sandy didn't push about her personal life. In fact, he hadn't even asked why she was in New York at conveniently the same time he was here. Maybe he was only interested in her for the sex? If that was the case, she should be insulted, but she found that she wasn't. She should be relieved. Didn't they come to an agreement that should they get together for more of this, that they wouldn't let their personal lives get into the way? That when they are together they would just enjoy each other, and nothing else more? Wasn't she the one who pushed for that?

Kirsten found herself lost in her thoughts that she might actually be able to do what Sandy had suggested that fateful morning. A one night stand that would go on and on. Do something for herself, for once. There was no doubt that his proposal was exciting… enticing, but could they really make it work? Was it as simple as Sandy made it out to be?

Absentmindedly she watched as he bit into a piece of fruit and enjoy it. Her gaze was drawn to his lips and how they moved so seductively as he chewed whatever he was eating. _I could watch him eating fruit for… hmm, years? Five? Ten?_

However, there was the matter that Sandy didn't bring up his idea. Maybe he changed his mind?

"Kirsten—"

She snapped out of her reverie to find him offering a piece of strawberry. Confused, she reached out a hand to take it from his fingers, but Sandy pulled it away before she could reach it.

"No. Wait." Smiling, he put half of it between his lips and licked the tip very sparingly, before dipping the fruit into a small bowl of sugar for that very purpose.

Then he held it back to her, holding it closer to her lips, intending for her to bite it from his fingers. He actually intended for her to do that. In the middle of a restaurant. Where people could see. The look in Sandy's deep blue eyes held a dare rather than just asking her to take the strawberry. She may not know him for long, but she already recognized what that look meant.

"I thought you always got what you want." Sandy said in a teasing tone, looking at her with questioning eyes. "Do you always take this long to decide whether you actually want it or not?"

Kirsten couldn't help but smile at that. "Oh, yeah? How do you know I like strawberries?" She teased him back.

Sandy looked at the strawberry, then back at her lovely face. "Do you think anyone can resist this strawberry?"

She relented, moving closer to take the strawberry between her lips. Even before she could do that though, he was already rubbing the tip of the berry, coating her lips with sugar and the strawberry juice that oozed from the fruit.

Kirsten quickly took the fruit into her mouth, pulling away the green leafy part before pushing the plump fruit into her mouth and nearly swallowing it whole. Her cheeks flushed and she bowed her head, trying hard to resist the urge to look around and see who just saw that. Avoiding his gaze, she wiped her lips with her napkin.

"Does it bother you?"

She looked back up at him, wondering what he meant. "Excuse me?"

"People seeing me feed you?"

Immediately, Kirsten's cheek turned a deeper shade of pink and she tucked golden strands of hair behind her ear in a nervous fashion. "Well, you offered me a strawberry and I took it. What's the deal? People taste each other's food all the time." She said, sounding more defensive than she was.

The corners of Sandy's lips curled up in a nonchalant smile. "It bothers you."

She shrugged. "Okay, so maybe I'm a little… _uncomfortable_, at what we're doing."

Nodding thoughtfully, Sandy leaned forward on the table and gazed intently into her wide blue eyes. Kirsten felt it again – the positive tension between the two of them that always left her wanting for more of Sandy.

"What exactly are we doing, Kirsten?"

She smiled helplessly. "Having breakfast?"

Sandy shook his head. Without breaking his gaze from her, he found another strawberry and dipped it into a pot of melted chocolate. He held it out, careful not to let the syrup drop onto the pristine tablecloth.

"This isn't about breakfast."

Kirsten almost leaned back, trying to distance herself away from him.

"Don't."

She tensed, and then frowned at that. Why did she have to listen to him anyway? She could look around this room and do whatever else she wanted to. Doesn't she always get what she wants, anyway?

"Look. Do you know these people?" Sandy asked.

Kirsten shook her head. "No."

"Do you honestly care what they think of how we choose to eat our food?"

"Hmm. Not really. Well, I shouldn't."

"But you care?" He pressed on.

She smiled faintly. "Out of habit, I suppose." Kirsten had always been self-conscious, not just about being fed in public by a guy who happened to be incredibly hot. It seemed to come with living under the public eye for most of her life. Back in Newport, whenever something happened, people always talked about it. Kirsten didn't want to put herself in that situation and have people talk about her.

"You feel like you should put out this perfect image of you for people to see."

That pretty much summed it up. "Something like that."

"So, out of curiosity, if you didn't care, what's the difference?" He couldn't help but question.

Kirsten marveled at how Sandy always sent her thinking about stuff that didn't even enter her mind. She thought about his question, ending up in a shrug. "Nothing, I'm guessing?"

Sandy smiled triumphantly at her answer. "Then take the fruit, sweetness. Enjoy the strawberry like you want it. Don't hold back just because people might be watching."

She took the second fruit from him, this time letting it linger between her lips. She took her time swallowing it, and looked at him straight in the eye as she chewed the fruit. He was looking at her lips, just like how she had been doing earlier. Teasing him, she swallowed at an even slower pace, but she was the one who had to bite back a moan, just by looking at how he was looking at her with desire lighting up his eyes.

Breakfast would never be the same again.

"People are looking at you." He told her, unable to keep his eyes off her lips.

"Sandy, I'm trying not to care here."

Another smile made his lips quirk upward. He offered her a cherry this time. She took it without a second thought.

Sandy watched once more as Kirsten chewed her breakfast. "Wonder what they're thinking?"

She shook her head, making her golden blond curls glisten in the early morning sunshine. "I'd rather not know."

He decided to push her a bit further. "What if this is turning them on?"

"What if it is?" Her reply was automatic, although she found it hard to say those words. She was really working hard trying not to care and just lose herself in her moment. She felt a thrill rush within her, and she never felt as carefree before as she did now. It felt good not caring what others thought of her for once.

Sandy chuckled softly at that. His gaze dropped to the food and then smirked as he looked back up at Kirsten. "So, do I get to taste some of your food?"

She nearly dropped the spoon she was holding at the suggestion, but immediately recovered. "Oh? And why should I feed you back? Do you care what other people think as well?"

He grinned cheekily. "No. I just want to taste a strawberry that's been rubbed along those lips."

"… oh." Dear God, how was it that he could easily seduce her with his words?

"Feed me?"

Looking around the room didn't even cross her mind anymore. Kirsten picked up a strawberry and ran it against her lips. She was about to dip it into some chocolate, but Sandy had grabbed her wrist and steered her fingers towards his mouth. He bit into the fruit and moaned quietly as he swallowed it.

"I've been missing how you taste for two days already."

That was what sent Kirsten over the edge. Her heart had already been racing with this pseudo-seduction thing they had going on ever since their conversation started, and she was already becoming incredibly aroused with all the teasing going on.

"Do… do you want more of this?" She asked, herself uncertain of what she was asking.

"I want a whole lot more of this."

"… here?"

Much to her relief, he shook his head. Kirsten wasn't sure how much more of this public teasing she could take, when all she wanted to do was to just release her inhibitions and lose herself in Sandy.

"Come on." He stood up and offered her his hand. But not before quickly wrapped some of the fruit in one of the table napkins.

"Let's finish this meal in private."

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_So, the six-letter B word turned out to be **bagels**! Anyone guessed it right? _

_And, okay, who wants to guess what the next chapter will be about? Four-letter word that begins with an S! It's not that hard to guess, given where we left off in this chapter. Hint, hint. Review!_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note:**__ My apologies, once more, for taking so long with this! I've been on summer break for a month already, and yet my mind just wasn't into writing. I don't think I can call it writer's block, but it's more of losing my mojo. Surprisingly though, when I really started writing this, all the words just came out, and I couldn't be happier with how that happened._

_Anyway, as always I hope you enjoy this long-awaited chapter. Now, this part doesn't actually move the story forward, but I am more than sure that you're not going to be complaining about this anytime soon. Not when you consider what this chapter contains, heh? _

_Lastly, thank you SO much for the reviews! Wow, past the hundred mark! I don't think I've ever had reviews of that number before, but I am very happy about this. Thank you to my regular reviewers, __**SandyKirsten**__, __**britgirl2003**__, __**Ansy Panzie**__, __**SexyEm**__, __**stripscrabble**__ and everyone else – you know who you are! Also, of course to those who personally tell me just how much they are enjoying this. Thanks so much for taking the time to do so!_

_**Disclaimer:**__ If I owned _The OC_, the number of episodes it would have would be more than the number of reviews I received for this fic._

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**LOVER I DON'T HAVE TO LOVE**

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As he began his descent down Kirsten's body, Sandy trailed the piece of sliced strawberry around her nipple, making it harder than it was already peaking for him. Her head shook from one side to another, moaning under her breath as she felt her body respond to what he was doing to her. The soft gasps that escaped from her lips nearly sent Sandy over the edge – the edge that had been taunting him ever since he received her note.

To be completely honest with himself, Sandy didn't think that he would end up being like this with Kirsten. Not today, at least. But when he felt her presence the moment she stepped into the restaurant, he knew that he wasn't going to be able to let her go without a good reason. What happened in the mail truck back in Berkeley had become a memory that held on to him just as how her sweetness lingered on his lips.

From her hastily-written note, Sandy had sensed that Kirsten was still apprehensive about the proposal he offered to her that morning after. Apprehensive, but not enough to resist contacting him when they happened to be in the same place at the same time. She had grabbed the first opportunity that came her way, and to Sandy it meant a whole lot more than she would ever know.

Smiling, he lowered his head to the valley between her breasts and inhaled the fragrance that was distinctly hers. She smelled a nice kind of familiar – natural, warm and inviting; and yet intoxicating at the same time. She was so beautiful and sexy, but she didn't seem to be aware of any of these things, and that made it difficult for Sandy to turn away from her. He found it hard to resist, found _her_ hard to resist.

Keeping his eyes locked on her, he licked the strawberry juice from her nipple. This time, he was the one who groaned when she arched her back gracefully, offering more of her body to him. It was as if they 

never stepped out from that mail truck at all. And, if Sandy had his way, before he would leave this penthouse suite, he would make sure he would have the opportunity to see this girl again.

He ran the plump strawberry on her other nipple, deliberately teasing her with soft, barely-there strokes. He was quick to follow the trail of sweetness he left with his tongue, before biting a dent into the sliced strawberry so he could push it against her peak without it falling from her breast. Then his mouth covered his dessert, nibbling on the strawberry to gain more access to her nipple, and then sucking the rosy flesh in a way that had her moans piercing throughout the otherwise quiet room.

After several moments of what felt like pleasure so slow it was agonizing, Kirsten felt him lift his head from her breast. She wanted to protest, to cry out loud and encourage him to continue what he was doing. However, the look on his face rendered her unable to speak. His gaze was smoldering as he looked at her up and down with unmistakable lust. She was lying against the soft maroon carpeting of the living room in broad daylight, as the curtains had been pulled to the sides and neither of them bothered to do anything about it.

The New York daylight, so different from the Californian sun they were used to, cast flickering shadows across her upper body. The moment Sandy had her on the floor, he had undone all the buttons of her white polo shirt and pulled down the cups of her silk lingerie, revealing her perky breasts. He had then pinned her hands to either side of her head as he had his way with her – a way that she found no reason to complain about; a way that made her pleasuring herself in the shower and imagining Sandy doing all those things to her pale in insignificance.

No other man had ever made her feel so sexy before, but with the way Sandy was looking at her, the way his gaze was making her skin flush, she felt like she was a goddess who could have any guy she wanted twirled around her little finger.

He murmured her name softly, repeatedly, as he noticed her skin becoming more flushed with his look alone. Sandy loved that he could make Kirsten feel that way. He allowed himself a smile as she writhed beneath him.

"You like being looked at, don't you?"

Before she could even shake her head in denial, Sandy went on, pushing her a bit further. "Your body doesn't lie, Kirsten." He chuckled, taking note of how she took in a deep breath at the accusation. Sandy couldn't help but smirk.

"Do you wonder if the customers back at that restaurant are picturing us like this right now?" he spoke softly as he traced her collarbone with his tongue. He left a kiss at that particular spot she liked that he discovered during their last encounter. He was not disappointed when she let out a strangled moan.

Kirsten's eyes fell closed as she tilted her head up, giving Sandy more access to her neck. He started leaving kisses all over her skin, encouraging her to answer his question. With the attention he lavished on her, it took her a while to answer.

"I… I'm not thinking right now…. except—" She gasped out loud as he started to suck on her sensitive skin, distracting her for the moment.

"Except?"

She groaned in exasperation, almost unable to believe he could still talk at a time like this. A woman in her position could only take so much.

"This," Kirsten managed, her chest rising up and down invitingly in her ragged breathing. "Oh God, _Sandy_."

Sandy felt himself stiffen at the sound of his name. The way she said it, so desperate and so aroused, like she would go crazy if she didn't have him right now drove him wild for her. He moved his hands towards her skirt and gently pushed it up, revealing more and more of the toned thighs he had been fantasizing of ravishing.

She lifted her head from the carpet to watch, a smile making her eyes sparkle. "I suppose getting off the floor and finding somewhere else to do this is out of the question?" Kirsten questioned, amused by his impatience.

Without a pause in his movements, Sandy laughed, immediately making the mood playful between the two of them. "I'm hungry. I never finished my breakfast."

"Ever heard of breakfast _in bed_?"

He loved how sassy Kirsten was being. It was a side of her he knew was there within her somewhere, and to be the one who brought that side up made him feel like he broke down some of the walls she had built around herself.

"Oh, we'll get there."

By now, he had managed to get her skirt around her waist, while she used her feet to push his trousers down his legs as far as she could manage. Kirsten's fingers brushed lightly against his skin as she reached down to hold on to his ass, making Sandy groan in frustration. There was one little thing that completely slipped his mind. "We forgot something."

Kirsten's eyes were closed, and she was starting to rock her hips against his body, getting a feel of his manhood against her damp silk panties. His words barely seeped through her mind as she vaguely responded with a, "Forgot what?"

Sandy let out another groan. Their groins met each other too well for his liking… well, for the moment at least. If she kept it up, he was going to take her whether they were being responsible or not.

"Condoms. Lots of them. Now."

She laughed and moaned at the same time, feeling the desperation between the two of them as they kept moving against the other's bodies. They couldn't seem to stop themselves. "It's okay."

Sandy was surprised to see a smile on Kirsten's face. _It's okay?_ What did that mean? Didn't she realize how important it was to him to make sure they were safe? He looked at her like she was mad. "No, it's not okay!" He was already fighting a losing battle as he pushed her skirt even higher, knowing that he should be pulling it down instead.

"Oh, Sandy." She murmured, distracted once more as she felt his hands brush against her underwear fleetingly.

"Exactly." And yet he started to touch her through the silk, stroking her most delicate skin with his middle finger, teasing her without meaning to.

Kirsten pushed against his probing fingers. "Take them off! Now!"

"But—"

She took his face in her hands and pulled him down to her for a passionate kiss. "Purse." She whispered, gesturing to her handbag that she had carelessly thrown against the floor earlier. It had landed just a little over to their right.

If he wasn't in such a state of mind right now Sandy would've been surprised to learn Kirsten had brought condoms. Especially since between the two of them, she was the one who was more hesitant about this sort of thing. But he couldn't bring himself to think of that right now, not when he knew both of them were on the verge of exploding. She wanted this. He wanted this. They both wanted each other, and they needed to have each other _now_.

In their desperation they ended up tangled in each other. Kirsten was bent over, searching for that box of condoms she had brought along, while Sandy was busy nearly tearing her panties as he slid them down her legs. Their movements were frenzied, and yet they managed to be in complete sync with the other. The moment Sandy finally managed to get the bothersome garment from her body, Kirsten immediately sat up and took his dick in her hands, teasing him, stroking him up and down as she rolled the latex on him. He groaned as her talented hands brought him to his fullest extent, and he attempted to distract himself with taking a hold of her breasts and rolling her nipples with her thumbs.

Once Kirsten's task was complete, Sandy pushed her back down into the plush carpeting and leaned over her. Both of them were already panting hard as she gripped his shoulders wantonly, needing him to fill her already. Roughly, Sandy spread her legs even farther and thrusted into her without warning, letting her take him as deep as she could.

Kirsten let out a scream and was vaguely thankful they had the penthouse to themselves. He felt her clench tightly around his manhood as he withdrew and entered her again. Sandy held on to her hips as he moved on top of her, on the verge of losing control. She attempted to muffle her screams into his shoulder, but the sensation of her lips on his skin only spurred Sandy on. They continued to move against the other as they felt climax imminent upon them. The next thing Sandy knew, a searing heat seemed to come over their bodies, and they came together. It took over them in a rush, and they allowed themselves to get lost in the moment.

Sandy and Kirsten lay limp on the floor, breathing heavily and holding on to each other. He buried his face in her neck while she kissed the top of his head and wiped away the beads of sweat that cling on to his skin.

"Wow." Kirsten was the first to break the post-coital silence. Sandy looked up in time to see a smile on her face, and it made him think of just how she was at her most beautiful in her afterglow. They shared a smile and Sandy leaned down to kiss her. It was a sweet, almost loving kiss that took her by surprise, but she welcomed it.

Feeling a bit calmer, Sandy shifted on top of Kirsten and absently toyed with her damp curls. "This is what I'm talking about." He began in a voice so soft; it made her feel as if he was serenading her. "Here in this room, or whatever room we find ourselves here, we let loose. We lose ourselves in each other, and it doesn't interfere with our lives." Kirsten looked down, not sure if she could take having this conversation right now. But Sandy put his hand on her chin and gently guided her face up to meet his eyes.

"Between us, Kirsten." And he lowered his head to kiss her again, leaving her breathless. But when Sandy pulled back, there was a smile on Kirsten's face, and he knew that she understood what he was trying to tell her.

"My turn." She finally spoke, her eyes glinting of mischief that Sandy loved seeing. But her statement had him stumped, and he had to ask her what she meant with that.

Kirsten smiled mysteriously. "You're the one who seduced me back at that café and look where it got us now." She looked around the room for a brief moment to emphasize her point, before meeting Sandy's gaze. He couldn't help but like where this conversation was headed. Of course Sandy had no doubt Kirsten was going to succeed at seducing him since she was already doing it anyway, although she didn't seem to be aware of it. But how she was going to do that certainly piqued his interest. He grinned at her with a renewed hunger, looking forward to her promise.

"How?" He asked, teasing her a little.

It took a while before she was able to answer. "Oh, I don't know. It will take me some time to figure things out."

This made Sandy's prominent eyebrows shoot up at what she was implying, unable to believe it came from her. Between the two of them, he was the forward one, but Kirsten had this way of surprising him that always kept him on his toes.

"So you're going to see me again?"

"If we could work things out."

Kirsten loved the way Sandy's entire face lit up and she couldn't help but be amazed that she felt the same way as he did. She didn't think she would be looking forward to encounters such as these, but even she surprised herself.

"How long do you have this place to yourself?" Sandy questioned, looking around the huge suite that he didn't really give much thought before, when he was occupied with other things. How come he never noticed how huge the place was? Of course Sandy was in awe – this place was way beyond his wildest dreams. However he was taken over with amusement as he realized him and Kirsten practically violated the grandeur of it all by having sex in the middle of the living room.

She smiled. "All day and all night long."

Both of them were happy with that answer. "Well, what do you say we give breakfast in bed a try?"

"I thought you made plans with your brother?"

Sandy was looking through the pile of fruits they had brought with them from the café, amused at how they managed not to squish the food. Smiling, he plucked out a cherry and ran it against her lips before chewing it himself. "Some other day. _Now_, breakfast in bed?" He took another piece of fruit, a blueberry this time, and trailed it down the crevice between her breasts.

"Just so you know, I'm still hungry, and I was just wondering how this would taste… dipped in you."

His words sent Kirsten's thighs clenching. Her eyes fell closed once more as he rolled the fruit past her breasts, past her stomach, beyond her belly button, with only one destination in mind.

"Why don't you let me lead today?" Sandy said quietly, his eyes glued to the sight in front of him. She was so responsive, he loved it. "You can take over next time, and that will give you enough time to think of how you're going to…" he felt himself becoming hard. _How did that happen so soon?_ "… seduce me."

He pushed the fruit past her damp curls until it hit her clitoris. Kirsten let out a prolonged moan. "Okay." She gasped, taken aback by the renewed pleasure that was taking over her. "God, yes." She bit her lip and attempted to fight her growing urges.

Sandy took a good look at her – the way her back was arched perfectly, how her hard nipples seemed to point at him and how her entire body was just begging to be taken – and he realized he was fighting a losing battle with his own urges as well.

"Oh, to hell with the bed."

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_Okay, is it too wrong to ask for a review after I made you wait for so long? Oh, what the heck. **REVIEW AND THERE WILL BE MORE SMUT**._


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note:**__ As always, I take way too damn long updating this, which makes me feel bad since a few months before I was promising you guys that this summer I was going to update regularly. Now, summer's come to an end and I've only released three chapters, which is like one every month. I fail. Um, I did write a one-shot though, if you haven't checked it out. It's called _Wishes_, and features Lily van der Woodsen from the _Gossip Girl_ TV series. :) Anyway, personally I feel writing has become a chore, but I hope it does not come out that way in this chapter because despite my lack of motivation to write, I do love this fanfic. Also, it's the reviews that keep me going. Just before I start a chapter I always read through them again._

_So here we have a relatively short chapter. There is not much interaction between Sandy and Kirsten, but do understand that this simply cannot be smut all the time. I am using this chapter to set up another encounter between them in the next one, so watch out for that. I hope I kept things interesting enough!_

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**LOVER I DON'T HAVE TO LOVE**

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"I hate men."

Kirsten nearly choked on her Sprite. "Well, look who's talking!" She said rather sarcastically, not knowing why she was even surprised at her best friend's blunt manner. She should be used to it by now, after having been roommates with Larissa for more than a year.

It was Sunday afternoon. Kirsten had arrived from New York over two hours ago to an empty dormitory, but Larissa had shown up an hour later, conveniently after Kirsten finished unpacking and sorting out their clothes. Now the two girls were catching up with each other, enjoying what was left of their long weekend before they go back to school in the morning.

Kirsten sat at the foot of Larissa's bed and eased herself to a lying position, all the while keeping her eyes on Larissa. If Larissa was at home on a beautiful Sunday afternoon instead of hanging out with boyfriend-of-the-moment, Kirsten knew that must mean something serious.

She sipped her soda through a red straw as she regarded the other girl with an amused, yet concerned look. "Okay. Spill the beans, what happened?"

"Paul."

Kirsten was thankful for distraction in the form of Larissa. It would help get her mind off what she had been doing on her first day in New York, which had been plaguing her ever since. Even she couldn't quite believe herself, couldn't believe what she was getting herself into. It was so unlike her, and yet the mere thought of it thrilled her. She couldn't help but wonder if Sandy was back in Berkeley now.

She hadn't been able to see him after he left her apartment that night. Though her parents were in the hospital day and night, Kirsten couldn't bring herself to give Sandy another call. She wanted to focus her attention on her family, especially her mother, who she missed very much ever since she left for Berkeley. Whenever her mother was asleep, or taken away for some tests, she simply sat in the private room and reasoned with herself that she had her fun for one day. She also knew Sandy was going to spend his few days in New York with his family for Thanksgiving.

Besides, Sandy, she could see every day in Berkeley if she wanted to (and if he wanted her to, she told herself). However, despite what little they knew of each other, they were only in New York for a few days and Kirsten knew they had a common reason: to spend time with family they rarely saw.

Still, even though they didn't get together after their Friday encounter, it didn't mean she wasn't thinking of him. Kirsten found herself questioning why she thought about him so much when he wasn't supposed to mean anything to her. When Rose asked her daughter if she had a new boyfriend, she immediately thought of Sandy. But of course, she could never dare explain what she had with Sandy to her mother, so she kept her quiet.

Larissa had jumped from the bed and was now agitatedly pacing her tiny bedroom in a mere five steps. As it turns out, the road trip hadn't gone very smoothly, and Larissa had caught Paul kissing another girl while they were at a bar. Kirsten recalled what Sandy said about Paul being a decent guy, and to be honest she didn't quite know what to think anymore.

But as she did not know Paul, Kirsten decided to turn back to Larissa. "I don't know why you're still so hung up on him." She said, choosing to be blunt. This was nothing new to the both of them. Kirsten had been there through every break-up Larissa had, even though her friend mostly moved on pretty quickly one relationship after another, not really taking anything or anyone that seriously. In fact, if there was only one thing Kirsten was surprised about, it was why it wasn't Larissa being caught kissing another guy.

"I mean, I know it blows, but you usually take these things into stride." She went on, taking another sip from her soda. "Come on, aren't you the one who always tells me there are more than enough guys in Berkeley to go around with?" Kirsten stifled a chuckle as she threw back Larissa's words when her friend was drunk not too long ago.

She expected an annoyed look, at worst having a shoe or a pillow thrown at her. But instead, she saw Larissa sober up and her eyes fill up with tears, and at once Kirsten knew.

"Oh my God. You're in love with him!"

Kirsten could not have been more stunned. For as long as she knew Larissa, Larissa had never cried in front of her, and she certainly didn't expect that the first time would be over a boy. Her heart broke. She abandoned her Sprite and joined her best friend by the pillows and drew the stricken girl close to her.

"I am so sorry, Riss." She murmured, stroking the girl's hair. "If I had known… I wouldn't have teased you like that. I mean, you always claim that when it comes to relationships you get…

"Claustrophobic?" Rissa chuckled through her tears. She looked up at Kirsten with tear-filled green eyes, and one blink sent them cascading down her cheeks. "I guess we all fall sometime."

At this, Kirsten thought of Sandy. It happened in an instant, before she could even realize it. She shook herself. She justified her line of thinking by the fact that he was the last man she had been intimate with, but even that argument sounded weak to her own ears. Sandy was not forever.

Larissa heaved a sigh. "I don't… wanna date anymore, Kirsten." She mumbled through her friend's damp blouse, breaking away to get reach for a box of tissues on her bedside desk. "I hate feeling like this." Fresh tears brewed, making her eyes watery, and Kirsten hastened to wrap her arms around her again.

"It was bound to happen sometime, Riss. You know that." She said earnestly, desperately hoping her words made sense enough to comfort Larissa. "But it doesn't mean you should give up completely."

This sent Larissa thinking, and for a long while the only sound in the room was her muffled sobs . Kirsten held her tighter, hating to see her so distraught.

"You're right." Larissa finally sat up straight and wiped her tears with a Kleenex. "Still sucks, though."

"I know."

Larissa suddenly looked very interested. "Since when?"

"Oh, we are so not going there."

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The next time Sandy heard from Kirsten, it had been a little over a week since the Sunday they arrived back on campus. Somehow, she found out where he was staying, and had left a note with the resident assistant of his dormitory building.

He smoothed out the paper, crumpled after having read her note so many times since it arrived last night. "An art gallery," he murmured to himself, wondering what her invitation meant. He liked to think she was supposed to be seducing him, but an art gallery threw his thoughts out of the loop.

Sandy pondered over the numerous possibilities. For one, the art gallery on campus happened to be a very public place. Not exactly up to par with her apartment in New York City, or the back of her mail truck. She had taken more than two weeks to get back to him, and the best thing she could plan was a museum tour? _What exactly in the world is she thinking?_

He had a good laugh as all sorts of ideas came into mind, which happened to be working overdrive ever since he met Kirsten Nichol. He could not help it – she had definitely changed something within him, and while he could not pinpoint what exactly it was, he knew he was liking this change.

It also wasn't like Sandy to let himself be distracted over a girl, he belatedly realized as he found he had been reading the same page of a textbook for more than a few minutes now. Shaking himself, he tried to focus back to his studying, but his attention just was not there. Slamming the book shut, he sat it aside and leaned back against the uncomfortable wooden chairs of the campus library with the note still in his hand.

Sandy reread the note again, and after coming up with no new ideas for what Kirsten had in mind, he refolded the paper and tucked it in the pocket of his jeans. After all that overanalyzing, he thought of how he should just be thankful she even remembered. In the span of two weeks since he last saw her, that had been one of his worries – that she forgot the pact she made with him and just leave him hanging altogether. He felt bad he was thinking of her so negatively, but he didn't want to get his hopes up too much if they were only going to be crushed down.

As he sat, a newspaper at the opposite end of the table caught his eye. He wasn't particularly interested in any studying at the moment, but reading the paper would make his stay in the library productive. Sandy reached over and settled back down on his seat with the paper, flicking through the pages without really absorbing any of the news.

Until he reached the business section, that was. His eyes were drawn to a rather familiar name on one of the headlines. _Caleb Nichol._ Sandy's magnificent eyebrows were knitted together as he scanned through the article. Newport Beach. Could this be…?

Sandy debated with himself as he put down the newspaper. He knew that part of the thrill of his affair with Kirsten was that they did not know a lot about the other, and they had decided to keep things that way, to stay out of the other's personal lives.

But all of a sudden, he realized he wanted to know **everything** about her.

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There you go! Any guesses what Kirsten has in store for Sandy in the art gallery? Let me know through your reviews / PMs / e-mails! I love hearing about them.


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